Chon Kilnam: Father of the Internet in South Korea

—Individual Recipient of the 2024 World Internet Conference Distinguished Contribution Award

Chon Kilnam

Chon Kilnam, known as the father of the internet in South Korea, is an Honorary Professor at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) and a member of the Internet Hall of Fame.

He earned his Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1974. In 1979, he joined the Korea Electronics Technology Institute, where he worked on computer system development. 

In 1982, Chon successfully connected the Korea Institute of Electronics and Telecommunications with Seoul National University, making South Korea the second country in the world to connect to the internet. This groundbreaking achievement laid the foundation for internet development across Asia. He has long been involved in global internet governance and was instrumental in founding several regional internet organizations, including the Asia Pacific Networking Group (APNG), the Asia Pacific Advanced Network (APAN), and the Asia Future Internet Forum (AFIF).

In recognition of his outstanding contributions to the field, Chon has received numerous honors, including South Korea's Scientist of the Year Award and the Presidential Award, the World Technology Award presented by the World Technology Network, and the Jonathan B. Postel Service Award from the Internet Society. He was inducted into the Internet Hall of Fame in 2012.

As an individual member of the World Internet Conference (WIC), Chon has actively participated in the event for many years and has been a frequent speaker at the WIC Wuzhen Summit. At the 2023 Wuzhen Summit plenary session, he praised a dialogue on AI held in Nishan, Qufu, Shandong province, noting its role in fostering AI governance. At the Next Generation Internet Forum of the 2024 WIC Wuzhen Summit, he stressed the need to strengthen international cooperation to build secure network infrastructure. Chon expressed high hopes for the future of the WIC, calling it a great endeavor. He emphasized the importance of continuous innovation to ensure the conference remains relevant and appealing in the decades to come. In 2024, he also served as chair of the engineering and R&D group for the WIC Awards for Pioneering Science and Technology, promoting the development and application of outstanding technological achievements.