Made the base for the growth of industrial technology in Korea after liberation and produced a lot of research performances in oil and fat and water for industrial use
While in the office of the Minister of Trade and Industry, promoted 3F policy and made the base of modern engineering
(Late) Ahn Dong-hyuk
Honorary Professor, Hanyang University (1906~2004)
- Academic background
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1923.04 ~ 1926.03
Department of Applied Chemistry, Kyungsung Technical High School
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1926.04 ~ 1929.03
Department of Applied Chemistry, Kyushu Imperial University, Japan
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1948.09 ~ 1949.06
Department of Applied Chemistry, Princeton University
- Professional career
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1929.04 ~ 1946.09
Professor and President, Kyungsung Technical College
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1946.09 ~ 2004
The first chairman of Joseon Ceramic Society (present Korean Ceramic Society)
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1953.10 ~ 1954.06
Minister of Trade and Industry
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1958.04 ~ 1976.03
Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, Hanyang University
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1976.03 ~ 2004
Honorary professor, Hanyang University
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1966.09 ~ 2004
Honorary chairman, Korean Federation of Science and Technology Societies
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1971.01 ~ 2004
Chief director, Korean Chemistry Hall (the 1st~)
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1972.01 ~ 2004
Director, Korean Foundation for the Advancement of Science and Technology
- Awards
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1962.08
Order of Cultural Merit, National People Medal
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1969.07
Achievement Award, National Science Academy
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1971.04
Order of Civil Merit, Peony Medal
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1972.08
Order of Civil Merit, Rose of Sharon Medal
A representative chemical engineer who build a foundation of Korean industry and technology after liberation
Professor Dong Hyuk Ahn is a representative chemical engineer who took a lead to build the foundation of the Korea industry and technology just after liberation. He made a great contribution to building the foundation of science and technology in the early days of the Republic of Korea, as a Korea representative leader and scholar in chemical engineering.
He made a lot of research achievements in the study on oil and fat and investigation of water for industrial use in the Japanese colonial era and gave great efforts to reconstruction and development of industrial technology as the head of Central Engineering Institute. Even in the Japanese colonial era, he published articles including ‘Study of Joseon Soy Sauce’ (Japanese, Graduate thesis of Kyung Sung High School) in 1926, ‘Ammonia Hydrolysis of Oil and Fat’ (Joseon Chemical Society) in 1929, and ‘Joseon and Engineering Resources’ (Japanese, Monthly Report of Industry and Technology Investigation) in 1933. Especially he informed the results of fatty acid-derived polyamide synthesis study extensively, publishing articles such as ‘Study on the exchange of oil and fat ester’ (Japanese, report of fuel measure research group) in 1943 and ‘polyamide system from oil and fat’ (Yearbook of Central Engineering Institute) in 1947. Several studies led by him on fatty acid derivatives, fatty acid ester (fuel and lubricant), fatty acid amide and amine (detergent), fatty acid derivatives and synthesis of fatty acid-derived polyamide were connected to the industry of Korea later and became the foundation of chemical and engineering industry in Korea.
Professor Dong Hyuk Ahn made a great contribution to building the foundation of Korea science and technology education in the confusing times, reconstructing Kyungsung Technical College and reorganizing the Central Engineering Institute after liberation. Starting as a lecturer of major universities in the capital area including Seoul National University, he made great services in fostering of younger students as an educator lifelong from the appointment of chemical engineering department professor, Hanyang University in 1958 to his decease in 2004 and progressed active writing and research activities. He wrote ‘Introduction to Natural Science (co-authorship)’ (Hanyang University Press) in 1971 and ‘Science and Economic Development (supervision)’ (Hanyang University Press) in 1971 to propagate basic science for students and left his research results as books such as ‘Construction of Science and Technology’ (Cheil Press) in 1946, ‘Science Myth’ (Joseon Engineering Book Press) in 1947, and ‘Introduction to Chemical Engineering (compilation)’ (Munwoondang) in 1947.
Serving as chairman of Korea Chemical Society, Korean Ceramic Society, and Korean Society of Food Science and Technology, he made a great contribution to academic activities. He built the foundation of Korea chemical engineering academic activities and contributed to initial development of Korea Institute of Science and Technology, serving as chairman of several academic societies including founding member and vice president of Member of National Academy of Sciences and the 1st and 2nd head director of Korea Institute of Science.
Promoted 3F policy exemplified by the fund, force & fuel, and fertilizer and made the base of economic development of Korea, serving as the Minister of Trade and Industry in the 1950s
Appointed as the Minister of Commerce and Industry in 1953, he made the frame of infrastructure in early days of Korea Industrialization through foundation and construction of infrastructure including construction of Samcheok, Masan, and Daninri Power Plant, Munkyung Cement, Incheon Plate Glass Plant, and construction initiation of Chungju fertilizer plant, trying to produce building materials and initiate construction of infrastructure.
Professor Dong Hyuk Ahn, a scholar who studied water quality and water source of Korea for a long time with curiosity, performed a deep study on the water sources in North Korea and accumulated superior research achievements in the water source, water quality and water for industrial use in the whole region of Korea.
In this connection, he published articles such as ‘Water Quality of Joseon’ (Japanese, Journal of Joseon Chemical Society) in 1941 and ‘Water Quality and Water Source of North Korea’ (Journal of Joseon Chemical Association) in September 1944 and announced 13 related articles in the Report of Central Engineering Institute including ‘Industrial Water Investigation Wonsan Area’ (Report of Central Engineering Institute) in 1948 and ‘Industrial Water in North Korea’ to provide the foundation of study on water source and industrial water of Korea.
He made a great contribution to the foundation and operation of Korea Foundation for the Advancement of Science and Technology, Seoul International Science Club, and Korean Chemistry Hall and contributed to enhancing the global positioning of Korea, serving as the Korean representative of the International Federation of Scientists and the member of American Chemical Society.