KAIST president receives top honor from French gov’t

Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) President Lee Kwang Hyung was awarded the Legion of Honour (Legion d’Honneur), a top distinction conferred by the French government, the university said Thursday. During a ceremony at the French ambassador’s residence in Seoul, Lee was conferred the distinction of Officier of the Legion of Honour in recognition of his academic and scientific achievements and his contributions to advancing the cooperation between Korea and France. The Legion of Honour is the highest order of merit awarded by the French government, granted to individuals who have contributed to the development of France and the international community in fields such as the military, academia, culture, science and industry. The Officier rank is the fourth out of five classes in the order. Lee earned his doctoral degree at INSA Lyon in France and has been spearheading bilateral cooperation in research and innovation. He was previously awarded the Chevalier rank of the Legion of Honour in 2003 in recognition of his achievements. Since taking office as KAIST presid