Three individuals have been selected as winners of a prestigious award that recognizes South Korean contributions to the fields of science and technology.

The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and the Korean Federation of Science and Technology Societies said Monday that they selected Seoul National University Professors Kang Suk-jin and Suh Yoo-hun and Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group Vice Chairman Lee Hyun-soon as this year’s recipients.

Professor Kang is a world-renowned figure in the field of mathematical expressions. He recently introduced a method to study the structure of high numbers.

Vice Chairman Lee developed the nation’s first domestically-designed automobile engine called, “Alpha Engine.” His achievement contributed significantly to making Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group one of the top five auto brands in the world.

Meanwhile, Professor Suh identified a mechanism of degenerative brain disease.