Chairman Han-Oh Park of BIONEER, recipient of the 2023 POSCO TJ Park Prize in Technology, has recently been honored with the "FACS Award for Distinguished Contribution to Economic Advancement 2025" by the Federation of Asian Chemical Societies (FACS). This award recognizes his significant contributions to the advancement of life sciences and the biotechnology industry both in Korea and internationally.

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Chairman Park personally informed the POSCO TJ Park Foundation of the award and stated, “This achievement would not have been possible without the encouragement and support of the POSCO TJ Park Foundation. I will continue to uphold and advance the spirit of creativity, challenge, and social responsibility embodied by the Foundation.” We are pleased to share the news of Chairman Park’s latest recognition.

 

 

Chairman Han-Oh Park, head of BIONEER, has been selected as the recipient of the "FACS Award for Distinguished Contribution to Economic Advancement 2025," presented by the Federation of Asian Chemical Societies (FACS). The award ceremony was held on June 23 at the opening ceremony of the 20th Asian Chemical Congress (20ACC), which took place at the Berkeley Hotel Pratunam in Bangkok, Thailand. This prestigious award, established in 1984, is presented to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the industrial and economic development of the Asia-Pacific region. Chairman Park is only the third Korean ever to receive this honor.

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Chairman Park is widely regarded as a pioneer in the Korean biotechnology industry. He was the first in Korea to develop and commercialize five Nobel Prize-winning technologies—DNA synthesis, PCR, sequencing, siRNA, and miRNA. With more than 600 global patents, he has established world-class technological competitiveness in fields such as molecular diagnostics, microbiome research, siRNA drug development, cosmeceuticals, and synthetic biology. His recent award reflects his leadership in supplying BIONEER’s proprietary molecular diagnostic equipment and kits to over 90 countries, including 32 in Asia, thereby making significant contributions to infectious disease response and public health improvement. He has also been instrumental in disseminating molecular diagnostic infrastructure and technology in these regions, thus strengthening global health capabilities.

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Notably, he developed Asia’s first WHO-prequalified (PQ) HIV viral load diagnostic kit, demonstrating internationally recognized technological standards. He also developed next-generation molecular diagnostic systems such as the IRON-qPCR and ExiStation FA, enhancing BIONEER’s competitiveness in the global market. Additionally, following his 2000 development of the world’s first 384-parallel oligo synthesizer, Chairman Park invented the supramolecular siRNA nanostructure platform “SAMiRNA.” His team successfully completed Phase 1a clinical trials for a fibrosis treatment using this platform, leading innovation in the development of new drug candidates for chronic and intractable diseases.

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Chairman Park stated, “This award is an international acknowledgment of over 30 years of dedicated work using genetic technologies to solve real-world problems, improve quality of life, and create sustainable solutions. Moving forward, I will continue to harness cutting-edge gene technology to address diverse societal needs, deliver unique customer value, and ensure BIONEER becomes a key player in the global biotechnology industry.”

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FACS is a federation of chemical societies from over 30 countries in the Asia-Pacific region, dedicated to the academic and industrial development of chemistry, life sciences, and related fields. The Asian Chemical Congress, organized by FACS, is held biennially and is the largest academic event of its kind in Asia, bringing together leading researchers and industry professionals from various fields.

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