Honorary chairman of LG Group Koo Cha-kyung has successfully been operating the LG Science Hall in both Seoul and Busan for 25 years since his retirement from the group with some 5.15 million people, primarily groups of students and youths, visiting the facilities exhibiting science equipment and inventions both old and new.

The science hall opened inside the LG Twin Tower building in Yeouido, Seoul, in 1987 as a home to all of LG Group affiliate firms. The group then opened the LG Science Hall in Busan in 1998 following the success of the first one in Seoul.

The Busan LG Science Hall is located in Yonji-dong, Busan, where the Lucky Group, the former name of the LG Group, had a plant to produce toothpaste and PVC at the time of the Korean War (1950-1953).

When LG Chemical moved its plant from Yonji-dong to Chungju, North Chungcheong Province, the group decided to construct a building for public welfare in the location and built the science hall to benefit youths who want to study science.

The operation of a science hall for youths by a large corporation is not seen often in this country, with only two now, but it being the former chairman’s idea played a great role in the decision, sources familiar with LG Group said.

Even when he took over running LG Group in 1970, he stressed that youths should have science education and the science hall was opened on the entire third floor of the LG Twin Tower building when it was completed, the first such facility ever managed by a private business group in Korea.

The former LG Group chairman wanted to continue to pursue his father In-hoe’ s‘pioneering spirit’ for the nation’ s youth, which is why the facility was named Yeonam Science Hall after the late founder of LG Group’ s pen name. But it was changed to the LG Science Hall when the Lucky Group changed its name to LG.

The admission to the science hall remains free after 25 years, in line with the philosophy of the former chairman that “No youths who come to the science hall should ever spend money while touring the hall to see the science equipment on exhibit.” The science equipment on display at the hall have been there under the former chairman’ s order that they should be able to provide educational value to the young visitors.

LG Group spent some 150 billion won so far in the science hall to provide science education ranging from invention, technology, and intelligent property rights.

Koo served as chairman of the Korea Invention Patent Association for 10 years during which he made a contribution to the creation of the Korea Student Invention Exhibition to spur inventions related to science, patent rights, and scientific progress.

Koo’ s dream to educate the young began when he was a teacher at a primary school, which developed into a passion hot enough for him to run the LG Science Hall for over 25 years. He always said the inventions of technology and science are key to national development. 

The honorary chairman stressed that the content youth see at the science halls should be ones that will attract their attention and curiosity. Under Koo’ s urging, admission to the halls have been free as the LG Group allocated some 7 billion to 8 billion won annually to maintain the science halls in order to keep showing the latest scientific inventions by updating them as they are available.