Highest IQ in the World

Kim Ung-Yong was born on the 8th March 1962 in South Korea and has the higest IQ in the world, estimated at around 210. Shortly after birth, he displayed remarkable intellectual ability - he began speaking at 4 months, could talk fluently at 6 months, and by is second birthday, could read Japanese, German and English. At the age of 4 he solved a calculus problem on Japanese television. In early childhood, he began writing poetry and was a brilliant painter.

Kim was a guest student of physics at Hanyang University auditing courses from the age of 4 until he was 7. In 1970 at the age of 8 he was invited to the US by NASA and received a Ph.D in physics at Colorado University. In 1974 during his university studies, he began his research work at NASA and continued this work until he returned to Korea in 1978.

When he got home to Korea, he decided to switch from physics to civil engineering and eventually received a doctorate in that field. He has published about 90 papers on hydraulics in scientific journals and he also serves as adjunct faculty at Chungbuk National University.

But it hasn't all been plain sailing for this intelligent man. The 48 year old was hurt when the Korean media denounced him as a "failed genius" because he chose an "ordinary" job - in the business and planning department at Chungbuk Development Corporation. "People expected me to become a high-ranking government official or CEO of a big company, but my life is not a failure and I am happy."

While working in America with NASA he describes his life there as "the lonely years". He said "At that time, I lived my life like a machine, I woke up, solved the daily assigned equation, ate, slept, etc. I really didn't know what I was doing and I had no friends".

When he came home to Korea, the media wouldn't leave him alone. "I was sick and tired of being the centre of attention, like a monkey in the zoo". But he didn't have the required qualifications to get a job, he needed elementary, middle and high school diplomas. "Since I had no official diploma, I had to start over again from scratch". It took him about a year to get his elementary and middle school diplomas and the high school diploma the following year. Then he chose to attend a university with students his own age but somewhere out of Seoul where he would be less conspicuous.

Kim says that people attach too much importance on IQ. "Some people believe that those with a high IQ are omnipotent but it's not true. Look at me, I don't have musical talent and don't excel at sports. If there is a long spectrum of categories with many different talents, I would only be part of that spectrum. I'm just good at concentrating on one thing, and there are many others who have different talents". He added "Everyone has different learning levels, hopes, talents and dreams."

And he also has the added talent of humility.