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    What does intelligence mean in the age of AI? James Rhee, global business leader, acclaimed CEO, and bestselling author, returned to SUNY Korea for a special lecture titled “A Perspective on the Future of Intelligence Upon the Launch of the New HBS Case.” Following his previous visit in September 2025, Rhee returned to share his perspectives on the future of intelligence and the importance of human agency in an increasingly AI-driven world. Rhee is recognized for his innovative approach to leadership, entrepreneurship, and organizational transformation. His leadership philosophy and work are the subjects of a newly published Harvard Business School (HBS) case, which examines his approach to building systems centered on human agency, trust, and goodwill. Drawing on his multidisciplinary experiences, Rhee has demonstrated how kindness, trust, and human connection can serve as powerful foundations for organizational success. As AI continues to develop and reshape how people learn, work, and interact, Rhee invited the audience to reflect on the role of humans in the AI-driven world. While AI can process information and generate sophisticated outputs, human wisdom, empathy, and connection remain essential. He highlighted the enduring value of human expression through the example of minyo, traditional Korean folk songs. Although their melodies may be simple or imperfect, they carry generations of wisdom, shared experiences, and emotional resonance that AI cannot create.  His perspective emphasized the importance of radical human agency over technological passivity and systematic thinking to navigate complexity, make thoughtful decisions, and ensure that technological progress continues to serve humanity while preserving the value of human wisdom, kindness, and connection. During his previous visit to SUNY Korea, Rhee encouraged students to reclaim their agency and lead with kindness, emphasizing self-trust, balance, and goodwill as essential qualities for navigating uncertainty. His return built on these ideas, inviting the SUNY Korea community to reconsider the meaning of intelligence in an era of rapid technological change and to recognize the enduring importance of human agency and connection.  

  SUNY Korea is proud to announce that Samteun Choi, a sophomore in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE), has received the WeGO Global Youth Award in the Advanced Technology category. This achievement marks the second consecutive year that a SUNY Korea student has received this recognition, following Joonhyeong Kim’s award in 2025. Organized by the World Smart Sustainable Cities Organization (WeGO), the Global Youth Award recognizes young leaders with outstanding potential to contribute to the future of smart cities, advanced technologies, sustainability, entrepreneurship, and other fields. Through its global youth programs, WeGO provides opportunities for young people to exchange knowledge, develop expertise, and explore innovative solutions to urban and technological challenges. Samteun has demonstrated strong academic performance, while actively contributing to the SUNY Korea community through engineering projects and student leadership. He serves as president of the EVision student robotics club and has fostered a collaborative environment where members of different experience levels can participate in hands-on robotics projects.  He and three teammates won first place in the ECE Department Design Competition with their project, “3D LED Cube with Glove-Based Gesture Communication.” In addition, he is currently participating in the 2026 National University AI Semiconductor Circuit Design Competition, where he is gaining further experience in AI chip design, testing, and AER communication design. Samteun’s recognition continues SUNY Korea’s record of student achievement in the WeGO Global Youth Award, following Joonhyeong Kim’s success in 2025. Together, these accomplishments reflect the university’s commitment to fostering academic excellence, hands-on innovation, and student leadership in advanced technology.  

  The opening reception for the exhibition “War & Fashion” took place in the SUNY Korea Museum of Modern Costume on October 14th, 2026. The event featured a small buffet where visitors could enjoy food and drinks, followed by a docent tour led by Professor Linda Kim, the curator of the exhibition. The exhibition “War & Fashion” introduces the influence of World War 2 on American fashion and its connection to the founding of the Fashion institute of Technology (FIT) in 1944. As World War II spread across Europe, Paris, the center of the fashion world, was no longer able to host its regular fashion shows. The United States saw this as an opportunity to establish itself as a new center of fashion, leading to the first New York Fashion Week in 1943. FIT was established the following year, in 1944, reflecting the growing importance of the American fashion industry. The exhibition consists of several sections, each explaining the timeline of the era that affected the fashion history in America. It also explains Korea’s fashion style during the same era, displaying images of Korea during the same period. The exhibition is located in room 3024, on the 3rd floor of IGC foundation building, and will be available until March 12th, 2027. The SUNY Korea Museum of Modern Costume is open to the public on weekdays from 10 am to 5 pm, and is closed on weekends and public holidays.   Written by Student Reporter, Kay Cho (kay_cho1@fitnyc.edu)  

  How can researchers explore a place they have never visited? At the IGC Sebasi Special Lecture, this question connected Professor Jongseong Brad Choi’s research experiences with a broader message about curiosity, learning and his personal growth. Held on October 15, 2026, at the Incheon Global Campus Auditorium under the theme “Learn Bold, Lead Global: Leaping into a Wider World,” the event featured five speakers. Among them was Jongseong Brad Choi, Professor of Mechanical Engineering at SUNY Korea. Professor Choi described how meeting a senior student who studied artificial intelligence and computing to solve problems helped shape his academic interests. That encounter encouraged him to pursue further study, eventually leading to his research team’s participation in a NASA research project involving exploration beneath the moon’s surface. Studying an environment that researchers cannot easily visit presents an immediate challenge: how can they understand what to expect? Professor Choi explained how exploring lava caves on Earth can help researchers investigate conditions relevant to lunar underground exploration. These caves offer opportunities to test approaches while also raising new questions about unfamiliar environments. His discussion extended beyond space exploration. AI and robotic systems can help investigate places that remain difficult or dangerous for people to enter, including industrial sites. He introduced physical AI in this lecture, discussing how AI can interact with the physical world and contribute to making real world products. He emphasized the significance of these developments for Korean industry. Another challenge that he discussed was the gap between simulation and reality. A system that works in a simulated environment may perform differently in the real world, where conditions are less predictable. Addressing this gap is an essential part of applying research beyond a controlled setting. During the Q&A session, when attendees asked about maintaining humility, Professor Choi reflected on the role of failure. He explained that setbacks can reveal a person’s limitations and create opportunities to learn, while becoming overconfident can lead to making mistakes. For students considering their future paths, his experiences offered a meaningful perspective. An academic direction can begin with an encounter that sparks curiosity, and progress can involve questions that do not yet have clear answers. His lecture encouraged people to explore unfamiliar possibilities while remaining willing to learn from exploration and failure. Written by Student Reporter, Yeonseo (Judy) Jo  yeonseo_jo@fitnyc.edu