UT Austin Korea Alumni Association to host Grand Reunion in Seoul

The UT Austin Korea Alumni Association (UTAKA) will host the ‘2026 UTAKA Grand Reunion’ on October 2 at the Andaz Seoul Gangnam. The event aims to reconnect alumni spanning five decades, from the 1970s to the 2020s, across various sectors including academia, technology, public policy, and the arts.

According to UT Austin Texas Global, there are over 3,000 alumni residing in South Korea. The connection between the university and South Korea has expanded into industrial and research sectors, notably through Samsung. Since 1996, Samsung has collaborated with UT Austin on semiconductor talent cultivation and research, with Samsung Austin Semiconductor and Samsung Electronics investing approximately $6 million into the university since 2023.

Professor Kyung-il Kim of Ajou University has been named the ‘2026 UTAKA Alumnus of the Year.’ The reunion is expected to draw various leaders from academia, industry, and government to strengthen the network between the university and the Korean professional community.