South Korea's Top 2% Scientists 2020: Career-Long List

South Korea has 1,350 scientists on the 2020 career-long Top 2% list. That places South Korea 18th in the world by number of listed scientists. Seoul National University has the most listed scientists (150), followed by Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology (126).

Single Year

2,139

First year listed

Career Data

1,350

First year listed

World rank by count

#18

First year listed

Institutes

179

First year listed

Scientists in South Korea on the list, by year

Career-long list, change on the previous year

2021+29.7%

2022+8.6%

2023+11.5%

2024+11.6%

2025+10.7%

Show the numbers

Year	Single Year	Change	Career Data	Change
2020	2,139		1,350
2021	2,715	+26.9%	1,751	+29.7%
2022	2,980	+9.8%	1,901	+8.6%
2023	3,240	+8.7%	2,120	+11.5%
2024	3,498	+8.0%	2,366	+11.6%
2025	3,695	+5.6%	2,620	+10.7%

Top 10 institutes in South Korea

By number of listed scientists

Career-long list2020

Show the list

1Seoul National University150
2Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology126
3Pohang University of Science and Technology79
4Yonsei University68
5Korea University64
6Sungkyunkwan University64
7Hanyang University58
8Kyung Hee University35
9Kyungpook National University32
10Inha University, Incheon31

All 1,350 scientists

Career-long list2020

The first 100 are free to browse.

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Rank in South Korea	World rank	Scientist	Institute	Sub-field	Rank in sub-field
1	425	RR Ruoff, Rodney S.	Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 16
2	1,063	HT Hyeon, Taeghwan	Seoul National University	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 32
3	1,432	SY Surh, Young Joon	Seoul National University	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 76
4	1,671	FS Fukuzumi, Shunichi	Ewha Womans University	General Chemistry	Rank 23
5	1,679	LS Lee, Sang Yup	Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology	Biotechnology	Rank 4
6	2,387	PT Park, Tae Gwan	Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology	Pharmacology & Pharmacy	Rank 17
7	2,553	Park, Ju H.	Yeungnam University	Industrial Engineering & Automation	Rank 9
8	2,779	PN Park, Nam Gyu	Sungkyunkwan University	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 60
9	2,804	CJ Cho, Jaephil	Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 61
10	3,274	SY Sun, Yang Kook	Hanyang University	Energy	Rank 23
11	4,376	KV Kim, V. Narry	Seoul National University	Developmental Biology	Rank 274
12	4,396	KS Kim, Se Kwon	Korea Maritime and Ocean University	Food Science	Rank 10
13	4,459	CW Choi, Wonyong	Pohang University of Science and Technology	Physical Chemistry	Rank 21
14	4,705	KK Kim, Kimoon	Pohang University of Science and Technology	Organic Chemistry	Rank 117
15	5,133	JJ Jang, Jyongsik	Seoul National University	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 80
16	5,823	GS Granick, Steve	Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology	Chemical Physics	Rank 157
17	7,252	RR Ryoo, Ryong	Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology	Physical Chemistry	Rank 35
18	7,779	NW Nam, Wonwoo	Ewha Womans University	General Chemistry	Rank 53
19	8,081	KS Kim, Seong Gi	Sungkyunkwan University	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 739
20	9,001	KK Kim, Kwang S.	Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology	Chemical Physics	Rank 227
21	9,313	LS Lee, Sang Min	Kongju National University	Materials	Rank 106
22	9,482	LJ Lee, Jae Sung	Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology	Physical Chemistry	Rank 48
23	9,525	BY Bang, Yung Jue	Seoul National University College of Medicine	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 469
24	9,799	KJ Kim, Jong S.	Ulsan University	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 873
25	9,817	PS Paik, Soonmyung	Yonsei University College of Medicine	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 483
26	10,264	LB Lee, Byoungho	Seoul National University	Optics	Rank 50
27	10,631	WA Woodside, Arch G.	Yonsei University	Marketing	Rank 12
28	11,349	KK Kim, Ki Hyun	Hanyang University	Environmental Sciences	Rank 42
29	11,717	LJ Lee, Jong Heun	Korea University	Materials	Rank 130
30	11,890	MV Mukhanov, Viatcheslav	Korea Institute for Advanced Study	Nuclear & Particle Physics	Rank 183
31	11,940	YJ Yoon, Juyoung	Ewha Womans University	Organic Chemistry	Rank 269
32	12,642	GZ Geem, Zong Woo	Gachon University	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 209
33	12,869	KY Kim, Young Jin	Osong Medical Innovation Foundation	Mechanical Engineering & Transports	Rank 64
34	13,127	SG Samara, George A.	Ulsan University	Applied Physics	Rank 298
35	13,274	RJ Rhim, Jong Whan	Kyung Hee University	Food Science	Rank 34
36	13,364	CM Cho, Minhaeng	Korea University	Chemical Physics	Rank 324
37	13,905	HW Holzapfel, Wilhelm Heinrich	Handong Global University	Microbiology	Rank 327
38	13,924	LC Lee, C. H.	Korea University	Applied Physics	Rank 316
39	14,361	KD Kim, Dong Hyun	Kyung Hee University	Pharmacology & Pharmacy	Rank 108
40	14,763	LS Lee, Saro	Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources	Geological & Geomatics Engineering	Rank 37
41	15,104	HC Hwang, Cheol Seong	Inter-University Semiconductor Research Center	Applied Physics	Rank 344
42	15,384	LY Lee, Young Moo	Hanyang University	Polymers	Rank 132
43	15,497	PS Park, Soo Jin	Inha University, Incheon	Polymers	Rank 133
44	15,557	KJ Kim, J.	Seoul National University	Nuclear & Particle Physics	Rank 234
45	15,716	KT Kim, T.	Kwangwoon University	General Mathematics	Rank 29
46	15,898	SS Sul, Seung Ki	Seoul National University	Electrical & Electronic Engineering	Rank 36
47	16,129	LS Lee, Sang Hyun	Chung-Ang University	Applied Physics	Rank 373
48	16,394	KS Kim, Sanghyun	Pusan National University	General Physics	Rank 108
49	16,483	KS Kim, Sungwan	Seoul National University	Pharmacology & Pharmacy	Rank 132
50	16,541	KS Kim, Sung Jin	Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology	Mechanical Engineering & Transports	Rank 88
51	16,819	KH Kim, Hae Won	Dankook University	Biomedical Engineering	Rank 82
52	16,856	HJ Han, Jung Hoon	Sungkyunkwan University	Applied Physics	Rank 392
53	17,491	GB Grzybowski, Bartosz A.	Institute for Basic Science, Daejeon	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 177
54	18,736	KJ Koh, Jae Young	University of Ulsan, College of Medicine	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 1,564
55	19,010	DC De Cooman, Bruno C.	Pohang University of Science and Technology	Materials	Rank 213
56	19,096	IG Ikenberry, G. John	Kyung Hee University	International Relations	Rank 5
57	19,221	AG An, Gynheung	Kyung Hee University	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 196
58	19,421	CB Choi, Byung Ihn	Chung-Ang University, College of Medicine	Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging	Rank 97
59	19,683	PH Park, Hyun Jin	Korea University	Food Science	Rank 52
60	20,814	CJ Choy, Jin Ho	Dankook University	Applied Physics	Rank 495
61	20,829	KK Koh, Kwang Kon	Gachon University	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 936
62	21,450	KK Kim, K.	Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.	Applied Physics	Rank 516
63	21,660	PC Park, Chul	Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology	Aerospace & Aeronautics	Rank 25
64	21,721	LS Lee, Sanghyun	The Catholic University of Korea	Applied Physics	Rank 521
65	21,844	KH Kim, H.	Pohang University of Science and Technology	Materials	Rank 251
66	22,035	KB Kim, Byung Kyu	Pusan National University	Polymers	Rank 194
67	22,264	BF Barlat, Frédéric	Pohang University of Science and Technology	Materials	Rank 257
68	22,556	LY Lee, Young Hee	Sungkyunkwan University	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 213
69	23,448	SH Sohn, Hoon	Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology	Acoustics	Rank 34
70	24,388	LH Lee, Haeshin	Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 233
71	24,575	KJ Knowles, Jonathan C.	Dankook University	Biomedical Engineering	Rank 120
72	24,615	SM Suh, Myunghyun Paik	Seoul National University	General Chemistry	Rank 108
73	24,752	YM Yoo, M. H.	Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology	Materials	Rank 284
74	25,004	LJ Lee, Jay H.	Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology	Industrial Engineering & Automation	Rank 172
75	25,142	PS Park, Seung Jung	University of Ulsan, College of Medicine	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 1,094
76	25,204	HH Han, Heesup	Sejong University	Sport, Leisure & Tourism	Rank 19
77	25,421	PP Park, Poo Gyeon	Pohang University of Science and Technology	Industrial Engineering & Automation	Rank 176
78	25,745	LK Lee, Kuen Yong	Hanyang University	Polymers	Rank 227
79	25,841	KK Kuwajima, Kunihiro	Korea Institute for Advanced Study	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 1,041
80	25,873	CS Choi, Seung Bok	Inha University, Incheon	Materials	Rank 299
81	26,256	JC Jun, Chul Ho	Yonsei University	Organic Chemistry	Rank 532
82	26,440	LY Lee, Y. H.	Korea University Medical Center	Arthritis & Rheumatology	Rank 207
83	27,819	PJ Paik, Jeom Kee	Pusan National University	Civil Engineering	Rank 28
84	28,221	CY Choi, Yung Hyun	Dong Eui University	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 1,350
85	28,271	FS Flach, S.	Institute for Basic Science, Daejeon	Fluids & Plasmas	Rank 265
86	28,368	KS Kim, Sang Wook	Ajou University	Applied Physics	Rank 662
87	28,507	CS Cho, Sung Bae	Yonsei University	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 481
88	29,413	LB Lee, Byeong Joo	Pohang University of Science and Technology	Materials	Rank 342
89	29,436	HS Hong, Songyou	Korea Institute of Atmospheric Prediction Systems	Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences	Rank 389
90	29,670	KY Kim, Young Hoo	Seoul Metropolitan Seonam Hospital	Orthopedics	Rank 204
91	29,913	YY Yi, Youjae	Seoul National University	Marketing	Rank 45
92	29,930	KH Kim, Hyunmin	Yonsei University	Biomedical Engineering	Rank 136
93	30,140	LJ Lee, Jun Yeob	Sungkyunkwan University	Applied Physics	Rank 710
94	30,246	KY Kim, Young Ho	Chungnam National University	Medicinal & Biomolecular Chemistry	Rank 107
95	30,438	JH Jeong, Hawoong	Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology	Fluids & Plasmas	Rank 295
96	30,632	WJ White, John M.	Yeungnam University	Chemical Physics	Rank 704
97	31,137	KG Koh, Gou Young	Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 1,219
98	31,443	LS Lee, Sung Gyu	Ulsan University	Surgery	Rank 256
99	31,469	KJ Kim, J. H.	Chungnam National University	Applied Physics	Rank 752
100	31,877	SC Song, Choong Eui	Sungkyunkwan University	Organic Chemistry	Rank 634
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Countries with a similar count

Career-long list2020

Denmark1,495 scientistsin 2020

India1,491 scientistsin 2020

Belgium1,413 scientistsin 2020

Taiwan1,151 scientistsin 2020

Finland1,037 scientistsin 2020

Austria962 scientistsin 2020

Explore other countries

Career-long list2020

Japan6,316 scientistsin 2020

China5,273 scientistsin 2020

Hong Kong878 scientistsin 2020

Macau22 scientistsin 2020

Israel1,630 scientistsin 2020

Singapore757 scientistsin 2020

All countries on the world map

Frequently asked questions

How many scientists from South Korea are in the 2020 Stanford Top 2% list?

2,139 scientists affiliated with South Korea are on the 2020 single-year list, and 1,350 are on the career-long list.

Which institute in South Korea has the most Top 2% scientists?

On the 2020 career-long list, Seoul National University has the most listed scientists from South Korea, with 150. It is followed by Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology with 126.

What is the difference between the single-year and career-long lists?

The single-year list ranks scientists on the citations their work received in one year. The career-long list ranks them on citations across their whole career. Both lists are published every year, and a scientist can be on one, both or neither.

What is the official source of this data?

The rankings come from the science-wide author databases of standardized citation indicators published by Ioannidis et al. in the Elsevier Data Repository, updated every year. TOPSCINET, an independent platform, organises that data by country, year, institute and field, so you can compare and explore it.