- Three-day Science Frontier Camp for multicultural middle school students held at KAIST
- Special seminar in May featured GS Caltex international employee sharing insights with KAIST undergraduates
GS Caltex (CEO Saehong Hur) and KAIST successfully hosted the 2025 KAIST Science Frontier Camp (July 15-17) for middle school students from multicultural backgrounds. Sponsored by GS Caltex, The three-day program was launched as part of a newly established mid-to long-term initiative under the multicultural talent development agreement signed between GS Caltex and KAIST in 2024.
The camp welcomed approximately 30 multicultural middle school students, members of the Hanmaeum Education Volunteer Group led by Professor Emeritus Byung-Gyu Choi), to engage in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) projects. Through science lectures by Professor Kim Yong-hyun of KAIST’s Department of Physics, career talk concerts, and “Dream-Sharing” mentoring sessions, participating students enhanced their interest in science and engineering while gaining valuable career exploration opportunities.
A unique feature of this camp was the participation of KAIST undergraduate students from multicultural backgrounds, who received the newsly established Multicultural Excellence Scholarship sponsored by GS Caltex. These student mentors shared their experiences with their mentees. Yoo Gi-joong (School of Freshman), who took part as a student mentor, stated, “It was truly meaningful to help aspiring science and engineering students as a senior mentor, and I hope more students will have opportunities like this.”
Earlier in May, GS Caltex and KAIST hosted a special seminar titled “Smart Living in Korea: A Foreigner’s Journey in a Korean Workplace” for KAIST international students. The seminar featured Sii Siew Fong, who studied in Malaysia before joining GS Caltex through its foreign recruitment program and has worked at the company for over a decade. The seminar aimed to encourage outstanding international students to integrate into Korean companies and establish roots in Korea, contributing to the country’s scientific talent pool.
As of 2024, approximately 194,000 students from multicultural backgrounds make up 3.8% of the total student population in Korea’s elementary through high school, equivalent to one to two multicultural students per classroom. Compared to a decade ago, while the total student population declined by 1.2 million, the number of multicultural students increased more than five-fold. According to OECD projections, Korea is expected to transform into a multicultural society by the 2040s, with over 10% of the population having foreign or multicultural backgrounds.
GS Caltex recognizes the importance of supporting outstanding talent from multicultural backgrounds to nurture the next generation of leaders in Korean society. The company remains committed to sponsoring a wide range of multicultural talent development programs across all age groups.
Since 2023, GS Caltex has partnered with the Community Chest of Korea and the Pearl S Buck Foundation Korea to provide scholarship programs for outstanding multicultural students from elementary through high school. The company has also supported Haemil School in Hongcheon, Gangwon province, an educational institution dedicated to multicultural youth. Additionally, GS Caltex runs the ‘Maeum Talk Talk’ program, which uses artistic media to help multicultural children navigate peer relationships, address emotional challenges and improve self-esteem and social skills.
GS Caltex’s support has already led to inspiring success stories. Daniel Gasama, a track and field athlete from a multicultural background who was sponsored by GS Caltex during his youth, recently claimed first place in the 100-meter race at the National Track and Field Championships, establishing himself as one of Korea’s top sprinting talents.
A GS Caltex representative stated, “We believe that cultivating excellent talent from diverse backgrounds will play an increasing important role in shaping the future of our society. GS Caltex will continue to support individuals from multicultural backgrounds in leveraging their unique strengths and growing into outstanding leaders who will help shape Korea’s future.”
