Professor Lee Jong-min poses for a commemorative photo with award-winning students. [Yeungnam University of Science and Technology]
Professor Lee Jong-min poses for a commemorative photo with award-winning students. [Yeungnam University of Science and Technology]

Students from the cosmetics and chemical engineering department at Yeungnam University of Science and Technology swept three awards at the 18th National Junior College Creative Design Competition, held Tuesday at Bexco in Busan, taking home the gold, silver and encouragement prizes.

The Korean Institute of Chemical Engineers organized the competition as a side event of the 2026 Korean Institute of Chemical Engineers Fall General Meeting and International Academic Conference.

The department's students claimed the gold and encouragement prizes in the video category and the silver prize in the presentation category, securing the triple crown.

In the video category, team M.O.L.E. — comprising Hong Seong-hyeon, Kim Na-young, Yoon Jin-seok and An Seung-ha — took the gold prize for "Smart Cosmetics Label," an idea for a smart label system that detects changes in cosmetic product condition in real time.

"It was meaningful to see students examine everyday problems through the lens of their major and develop those observations into design ideas in the cosmetics, environmental and energy fields," said Lee Jong-min, a professor in the cosmetics and chemical engineering department. "The teamwork and presentation experience the three teams built during the preparation process will also be a great asset to their growth going forward."


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