Jeonbuk National University (JBNU) Institute for Southeast Asian Studies (Director Professor Jeon Je-seong) was selected as one of the Ministry of Education's Top 50 Outstanding Research Outcomes in the 2023 Academic Research Support Program and received a citation from the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education.

The Ministry of Education, through the National Research Foundation of Korea and the Academy of Korean Studies, evaluated approximately 13,600 research projects it supported and assessed the excellence, impact, and usability of the research outcomes. It selected 26 projects in the humanities and social sciences, 20 in the natural sciences and engineering, and 4 in Korean studies as outstanding outcomes.

Jeonbuk National University Institute for Southeast Asian Studies conducts stepwise, in-depth research that proceeds from the national level to regional and civil society levels to study labor issues and health and welfare reform policies closely related to the livelihoods and safety of the general public in Southeast Asian countries.

It published a scholarly book examining the process of implementing universal health coverage policies in Southeast Asia, holds annual briefings on major Southeast Asian countries and ASEAN trends, and organizes Southeast Asian language camps where educational opportunities are scarce. These activities were recognized as significant contributions to the promotion, sharing, and educational innovation of Southeast Asian area studies.

The director who led the research project, Professor Jeon Je-seong, said, "This award was achieved through collective collaboration at our institute, and it was made possible by close inter-university solidarity. We will not lose the founding resolve of our institute, which upholds openness and solidarity, and we will devote ourselves to better research for the mutual growth of Southeast Asian countries."

Opened in December 2018, the JBNU Institute for Southeast Asian Studies has been conducting diverse Southeast Asian area studies since securing the National Research Foundation of Korea's Humanities and Social Science Research Institute Support Program in September 2019. It has hosted an annual Southeast Asia regional briefing, inviting specialist researchers each year to discuss the region's politics, economy, and external relations.