KAIST President remains in office until successor elected as leadership search stalls

KAIST President Lee Kwang-hyung has decided to remain in office, withdrawing his resignation and will continue leading the university until a new president is elected.

The KAIST board had convened to select the 18th president, but none of the three candidates—Lee Kwang-hyung, Kim Jung-ho, a professor in Electrical and Electronic Engineering, and Lee Yong-hoon, former president of UNIST—received a majority, resulting in a failed vote.

Immediately after the meeting, Lee announced plans to resign on the 16th. He then reversed that decision to maintain stability on campus and minimize disruption to education and research operations.

He acknowledged that delays in the presidential selection had heightened concerns among students, faculty, and the public, and noted that ongoing discussions about governance and possible amendments to the selection process had amplified worries about a leadership vacuum.

He said continuing in office would help reduce uncertainty that could burden teaching and research, and could affect national science and technology policy, including the government’s AI “three-strong” strategy in which KAIST plays a key role.

Lee stressed his commitment to KAIST’s mission, saying the university will persevere to strengthen Korea’s scientific and technological competitiveness amid global tech competition and public trust in the institution.

Context for U.S. readers: KAIST is Korea’s premier science and engineering university, based in Daejeon, and a major driver of research, talent development, and industry collaboration. The leadership of KAIST matters for Korea’s AI and broader tech policy, international research partnerships, and supply-chain resilience, all of which intersect with U.S.-Korea technology cooperation, investment, and competitive dynamics in high-tech sectors.