My dear colleagues in science and engineering — the scientific and engineering community of Korea, whose discoveries have carried our nation from a war-torn beginning to the frontier of global research — and the distinguished representatives and board members of our 604 member organizations,

The world today stands at the epicenter of a great contest for technological primacy. Science and technology are no longer a matter of choice; they have become the very foundation of national security. And yet the conditions of our research community remain far from easy. Our research ecosystem is fragile and young researchers — the very generation upon whom our next sixty years depend — still lack an environment in which they can pursue bold ideas without hesitation. The time has come for the Korean Federation of Science and Technology Societies (KOFST) to evolve — from an organization that works for science and technology into a platform that designs the future together with it.

I intend to bring this vision to life through what I call resonant innovation (共鳴하는 革新). Just as benzene attains its remarkable stability when its alternating bonds cease to compete and instead flow together as one, KOFST will grow stronger when its 604 member organizations resonate in harmony. I am committed to building a federation that honors the full breadth of scholarship — from fundamental science to the most advanced applied technologies — and that listens attentively to voices from the field, faithfully reflecting them in our policies and long-term strategies.

Having passed the milestone of our 60th anniversary, we shall now set forth a vision for the next generation. We will deepen communication among our member organizations and strengthen the transparency and accountability of our financial governance, so that KOFST may stand renewed as a federation worthy of public trust. As a concrete roadmap, I will advance the SCALE-UP strategy to elevate KOFST to a new level of distinction — reinforcing our policy influence, expanding engagement with the global science and technology community, and ensuring that the achievements of Korean researchers — and especially those of our rising scholars — extend into meaningful international collaboration.

I believe in resonance — 共鳴. Rather than moving swiftly alone, we shall walk far together. With a posture of listening and of action, I will work to elevate the pride and dignity of every scientist and engineer in our nation. For science advances not by the speed of one, but by the chorus of many — and it is in that chorus that the next sixty years of KOFST shall be composed.

Together with you, I look forward to opening KOFST's new sixty years.

Thank you.

Oh Nam KWON, Ph.D.

President

The Korean Federation of Science and Technology Societies