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).
Scientists in South Korea on the list, by year
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
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
| Rank in South Korea | World rank | Scientist | Institute | Sub-field | Rank in sub-field |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 425 | Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology | Nanoscience & Nanotechnology | Rank 16 | |
| 2 | 1,063 | Seoul National University | Nanoscience & Nanotechnology | Rank 32 | |
| 3 | 1,432 | Seoul National University | Oncology & Carcinogenesis | Rank 76 | |
| 4 | 1,671 | Ewha Womans University | General Chemistry | Rank 23 | |
| 5 | 1,679 | Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology | Biotechnology | Rank 4 | |
| 6 | 2,387 | Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology | Pharmacology & Pharmacy | Rank 17 | |
| 7 | 2,553 | Yeungnam University | Industrial Engineering & Automation | Rank 9 | |
| 8 | 2,779 | Sungkyunkwan University | Nanoscience & Nanotechnology | Rank 60 | |
| 9 | 2,804 |
CJ
|
Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology | Nanoscience & Nanotechnology | Rank 61 |
| 10 | 3,274 | Hanyang University | Energy | Rank 23 | |
| 11 | 4,376 | Seoul National University | Developmental Biology | Rank 274 | |
| 12 | 4,396 |
KS
|
Korea Maritime and Ocean University | Food Science | Rank 10 |
| 13 | 4,459 | Pohang University of Science and Technology | Physical Chemistry | Rank 21 | |
| 14 | 4,705 |
KK
|
Pohang University of Science and Technology | Organic Chemistry | Rank 117 |
| 15 | 5,133 | Seoul National University | Nanoscience & Nanotechnology | Rank 80 | |
| 16 | 5,823 | Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology | Chemical Physics | Rank 157 | |
| 17 | 7,252 |
RR
|
Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology | Physical Chemistry | Rank 35 |
| 18 | 7,779 |
NW
|
Ewha Womans University | General Chemistry | Rank 53 |
| 19 | 8,081 | Sungkyunkwan University | Neurology & Neurosurgery | Rank 739 | |
| 20 | 9,001 | Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology | Chemical Physics | Rank 227 | |
| 21 | 9,313 | Kongju National University | Materials | Rank 106 | |
| 22 | 9,482 | Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology | Physical Chemistry | Rank 48 | |
| 23 | 9,525 | Seoul National University College of Medicine | Oncology & Carcinogenesis | Rank 469 | |
| 24 | 9,799 |
KJ
|
Ulsan University | Neurology & Neurosurgery | Rank 873 |
| 25 | 9,817 | Yonsei University College of Medicine | Oncology & Carcinogenesis | Rank 483 | |
| 26 | 10,264 | Seoul National University | Optics | Rank 50 | |
| 27 | 10,631 | Yonsei University | Marketing | Rank 12 | |
| 28 | 11,349 |
KK
|
Hanyang University | Environmental Sciences | Rank 42 |
| 29 | 11,717 | Korea University | Materials | Rank 130 | |
| 30 | 11,890 | Korea Institute for Advanced Study | Nuclear & Particle Physics | Rank 183 | |
| 31 | 11,940 | Ewha Womans University | Organic Chemistry | Rank 269 | |
| 32 | 12,642 | Gachon University | Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing | Rank 209 | |
| 33 | 12,869 | Osong Medical Innovation Foundation | Mechanical Engineering & Transports | Rank 64 | |
| 34 | 13,127 | Ulsan University | Applied Physics | Rank 298 | |
| 35 | 13,274 | Kyung Hee University | Food Science | Rank 34 | |
| 36 | 13,364 | Korea University | Chemical Physics | Rank 324 | |
| 37 | 13,905 | Handong Global University | Microbiology | Rank 327 | |
| 38 | 13,924 |
LC
|
Korea University | Applied Physics | Rank 316 |
| 39 | 14,361 | Kyung Hee University | Pharmacology & Pharmacy | Rank 108 | |
| 40 | 14,763 |
LS
|
Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources | Geological & Geomatics Engineering | Rank 37 |
| 41 | 15,104 | Inter-University Semiconductor Research Center | Applied Physics | Rank 344 | |
| 42 | 15,384 | Hanyang University | Polymers | Rank 132 | |
| 43 | 15,497 | Inha University, Incheon | Polymers | Rank 133 | |
| 44 | 15,557 |
KJ
|
Seoul National University | Nuclear & Particle Physics | Rank 234 |
| 45 | 15,716 |
KT
|
Kwangwoon University | General Mathematics | Rank 29 |
| 46 | 15,898 | Seoul National University | Electrical & Electronic Engineering | Rank 36 | |
| 47 | 16,129 | Chung-Ang University | Applied Physics | Rank 373 | |
| 48 | 16,394 | Pusan National University | General Physics | Rank 108 | |
| 49 | 16,483 |
KS
|
Seoul National University | Pharmacology & Pharmacy | Rank 132 |
| 50 | 16,541 | Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology | Mechanical Engineering & Transports | Rank 88 | |
| 51 | 16,819 |
KH
|
Dankook University | Biomedical Engineering | Rank 82 |
| 52 | 16,856 | Sungkyunkwan University | Applied Physics | Rank 392 | |
| 53 | 17,491 | Institute for Basic Science, Daejeon | Nanoscience & Nanotechnology | Rank 177 | |
| 54 | 18,736 | University of Ulsan, College of Medicine | Neurology & Neurosurgery | Rank 1,564 | |
| 55 | 19,010 | Pohang University of Science and Technology | Materials | Rank 213 | |
| 56 | 19,096 | Kyung Hee University | International Relations | Rank 5 | |
| 57 | 19,221 |
AG
|
Kyung Hee University | Plant Biology & Botany | Rank 196 |
| 58 | 19,421 | Chung-Ang University, College of Medicine | Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging | Rank 97 | |
| 59 | 19,683 | Korea University | Food Science | Rank 52 | |
| 60 | 20,814 |
CJ
|
Dankook University | Applied Physics | Rank 495 |
| 61 | 20,829 | Gachon University | Cardiovascular System & Hematology | Rank 936 | |
| 62 | 21,450 |
KK
|
Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. | Applied Physics | Rank 516 |
| 63 | 21,660 |
PC
|
Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology | Aerospace & Aeronautics | Rank 25 |
| 64 | 21,721 | The Catholic University of Korea | Applied Physics | Rank 521 | |
| 65 | 21,844 |
KH
|
Pohang University of Science and Technology | Materials | Rank 251 |
| 66 | 22,035 | Pusan National University | Polymers | Rank 194 | |
| 67 | 22,264 | Pohang University of Science and Technology | Materials | Rank 257 | |
| 68 | 22,556 | Sungkyunkwan University | Nanoscience & Nanotechnology | Rank 213 | |
| 69 | 23,448 |
SH
|
Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology | Acoustics | Rank 34 |
| 70 | 24,388 |
LH
|
Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology | Nanoscience & Nanotechnology | Rank 233 |
| 71 | 24,575 | Dankook University | Biomedical Engineering | Rank 120 | |
| 72 | 24,615 | Seoul National University | General Chemistry | Rank 108 | |
| 73 | 24,752 |
YM
|
Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology | Materials | Rank 284 |
| 74 | 25,004 |
LJ
|
Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology | Industrial Engineering & Automation | Rank 172 |
| 75 | 25,142 | University of Ulsan, College of Medicine | Cardiovascular System & Hematology | Rank 1,094 | |
| 76 | 25,204 |
HH
|
Sejong University | Sport, Leisure & Tourism | Rank 19 |
| 77 | 25,421 | Pohang University of Science and Technology | Industrial Engineering & Automation | Rank 176 | |
| 78 | 25,745 | Hanyang University | Polymers | Rank 227 | |
| 79 | 25,841 | Korea Institute for Advanced Study | Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | Rank 1,041 | |
| 80 | 25,873 | Inha University, Incheon | Materials | Rank 299 | |
| 81 | 26,256 |
JC
|
Yonsei University | Organic Chemistry | Rank 532 |
| 82 | 26,440 |
LY
|
Korea University Medical Center | Arthritis & Rheumatology | Rank 207 |
| 83 | 27,819 | Pusan National University | Civil Engineering | Rank 28 | |
| 84 | 28,221 | Dong Eui University | Oncology & Carcinogenesis | Rank 1,350 | |
| 85 | 28,271 |
FS
|
Institute for Basic Science, Daejeon | Fluids & Plasmas | Rank 265 |
| 86 | 28,368 | Ajou University | Applied Physics | Rank 662 | |
| 87 | 28,507 | Yonsei University | Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing | Rank 481 | |
| 88 | 29,413 | Pohang University of Science and Technology | Materials | Rank 342 | |
| 89 | 29,436 | Korea Institute of Atmospheric Prediction Systems | Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences | Rank 389 | |
| 90 | 29,670 | Seoul Metropolitan Seonam Hospital | Orthopedics | Rank 204 | |
| 91 | 29,913 |
YY
|
Seoul National University | Marketing | Rank 45 |
| 92 | 29,930 |
KH
|
Yonsei University | Biomedical Engineering | Rank 136 |
| 93 | 30,140 | Sungkyunkwan University | Applied Physics | Rank 710 | |
| 94 | 30,246 | Chungnam National University | Medicinal & Biomolecular Chemistry | Rank 107 | |
| 95 | 30,438 | Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology | Fluids & Plasmas | Rank 295 | |
| 96 | 30,632 | Yeungnam University | Chemical Physics | Rank 704 | |
| 97 | 31,137 | Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology | Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | Rank 1,219 | |
| 98 | 31,443 | Ulsan University | Surgery | Rank 256 | |
| 99 | 31,469 |
KJ
|
Chungnam National University | Applied Physics | Rank 752 |
| 100 | 31,877 | Sungkyunkwan University | Organic Chemistry | Rank 634 | |
| No scientists match this filter. | |||||
See all 1,350 scientists in South Korea
You are seeing the first 100. 1,250 more are on the 2020 career-long list.
Countries with a similar count
Explore other countries
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.