On April 29th, 2024, the Office of Global Initiative at KAIST, led by Vice President Man-Sung Yim, successfully conducted the election for the interim president of the KAIST U.S. Alumni Association. The authority to organize and operate the election was delegated by the KAIST U.S. Alumni Interim President Selection Committee Foundation, consisting of Je Woo Kim, Director of KAIST U.S. Foundation; Terri Kim, Director of KAIST U.S. Foundation; and Myungjin Yim, President of the KAIST Silicon Valley Alumni Association.
The election was announced during the KAIST Online U.S. Alumni Event held on December 8th, 2023, with the aim of establishing interim executive principles for six months and ultimately forming the official executive body of the KAIST U.S. Alumni Association.
The election was conducted according to the requirements set by the KAIST U.S. Alumni Interim President Selection Committee Foundation, which stated that "if there is a single candidate, they will be elected if they receive more than half of the votes from participating voters." The voting period lasted from April 13th (Monday) to April 24th (Friday) and was specifically directed towards KAIST alumni living in the Americas.
All 50 eligible voters participated in the election, unanimously supporting Dr. Bong-Joon Jung (Ph.D., admitted in 1993, Department of Electrical Engineering) with a 100% approval rate as the interim president of the KAIST U.S. Alumni Association. Dr. Bong-Joon Jung currently serves as the Senior Technology Analyst and Partner at Ambex Venture Group and previously served as the President of the KAIST Silicon Valley Alumni Association. Dr. Jung expressed his intention to strengthen connections with KAIST alumni in the United States and contribute to the establishment of the U.S. alumni association as the interim president.
Man-Sung Yim, Vice President of the International Office, congratulated Dr. Bong-Joon Jung on his election and pledged continuous support for the activities of the interim KAIST U.S. Alumni Association, led by alumni. He stated, "The election of the interim president of the KAIST U.S. Alumni Association marks the beginning of active engagement not only from alumni associations in various regions but also from alumni across the Americas, reflecting sustained interest in their alma mater."