Kim Ung-Yong
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Kim Ung-Yong (born March 7, 1963) is a Korean former child prodigy. He scored a 210 IQ on the Stanford-Binet test according to the Guinness Book of World Records. At five months he was able to walk and speak and at seven months he was able to write and play chess [1]. He began to learn differential calculus at the age of three. He was able to read and write in Japanese, Korean, German, and English by his fourth birthday. At the age of four years on November 2, 1967, he solved complicated differential and integral calculus problems on Japanese television, demonstrated his proficiency in German, English, Japanese, and Korean, and composed poetry. Kim was a guest student of physics at Hanyang University from the age of three until he was six.[1]. At the age of seven he was invited to the United States by NASA.[1]. He finished his university studies, eventually getting a Ph.D in physics at Colorado State University [1] before he was 15. In 1974, during his university studies, he began his research work at NASA[1] and continued this work until his return to Korea in 1978.
When he returned to Korea, his doctorate in physics and research work at NASA were considered worthless and he had to begin his studies again. He decided to switch from physics to civil engineering and eventually received a doctorate in that field. Kim was offered the chance to study at the most prestigious universities in Korea, but instead chose to attend a provincial university.
As of 2007 he has two children.
[edit] References
- Time magazine article mentioning Ung-Yong
- Article in Korean mentioning Kim Ung-Yong (Currently Working as the Leader of the Compensation Department of the Chungcheongbuk-do Government Office of Development)
