Suh Eun-kook, 60, a Yonsei University professor who has studied the conditions for happiness, and Ko Seok, 63, director of the Songpa Safety Experience Education Center who has devoted himself to child safety education, were named this year's winners of the Samsung Happiness Prize. Otistar, a social enterprise that supports the economic independence of young adults with autism, was also added to the list of recipients.
The Samsung Life Insurance Public Welfare Foundation (032830) announced the winners of the 2026 Samsung Happiness Prize on the 21st. The award honors individuals, organizations and exemplary young people who have contributed to public happiness, improved social safety and the protection of socially disadvantaged groups.
Suh, the winner in the research and creativity category, is a happiness psychologist who has used empirical research to show that happiness stems from enjoyable everyday experiences and positive human relationships rather than material abundance. He has published about 100 papers and several books, and has broadened public understanding of happiness through work such as analyzing the relationship between Korea's collectivist culture and happiness.
Ko, the winner in the social and safety category, has worked on child safety education since losing a child in the 1999 fire at the Sea Land youth training camp in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province. In 2000, he founded the Korea Childhood Safety Foundation with other bereaved families. Since 2001, he has served as director of the Songpa Safety Experience Education Center, developing and distributing hands-on safety education programs that prepare children for fires, traffic accidents and other disasters.
Otistar, the winner in the integration and inclusion category, is a social enterprise founded in 2012. It develops design products that draw on the artistic talents of young adults with autism and provides them with opportunities to work as professional designers. The company was recognized for contributing to the economic independence of people with disabilities and to improving public perceptions of them.
Five winners were selected in the youth category: Kwon Young-joo, 23, of Soongsil University, who hopes to become a social welfare specialist; Jung Yoon-seo, 22, of Catholic University of Korea, who aspires to work as a policy researcher; Ahn Ye-eun, 20, of Seoul Dasom Tourism High School, who dreams of becoming a hotelier; Lee Yu-bin, 18, of Seogwipo Industrial Science High School, who aims to become a renewable energy equipment specialist; and Kim Tae-yang, 17, of Wando High School, who set a national student record in weightlifting.
The foundation selected the winners after about three months of screening and on-site inspections. Winners in the research and creativity, social and safety, and integration and inclusion categories each receive 50 million won in prize money, while youth category winners receive 10 million won each. The awards ceremony will be held on Nov. 30 at the Leeum Museum of Art in Yongsan District, Seoul.
