Cho Wan-kyu (조완규), a biologist who pioneered South Korea’s basic biology field and also served as president of Seoul National University and as education minister, died early on July 13 at the age of 98.

Cho was born in Hwanghae Province in 1928 and earned bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in biology at Seoul National University in 1952. He joined Seoul National University as a professor in 1968 and drew global attention in developmental biology by identifying key mechanisms that control the maturation of mammalian eggs.

Cho led efforts in the early 1980s to enact the Genetic Engineering Promotion Act. He later founded the Korea Bio Industry Association in 1991 to connect academia and companies. He was appointed the inaugural president of the Korea Academy of Science and Technology when it was established in 1994 and led various academic activities and cooperation with overseas academies.

The funeral will be held under the auspices of the Korea Academy of Science and Technology to honor his achievements in South Korea’s science and technology community. The memorial altar has been set up at Seoul National University Hospital, and the funeral procession is set for 7 a.m. on July 16.