Team Leader Lee In-no of SK Hynix and Others Named 'Engineer of the Month for June'

Inno Lee, Team Leader at SK Hynix

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Junho] Lee Inno, team leader at SK Hynix, and Ok Youngdoo, head of research at Geumseong Bolt Industry, were selected as the recipients of the "Engineer of the Month" award on the 8th.

This award is selected monthly by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Korea Industrial Technology Association to encourage technological innovation in the industrial field and to foster a culture that values engineers. One engineer each from large corporations and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is selected and announced.

Lee, the winner in the large corporation category, was chosen for his leading role in achieving a 90% mass production yield of NAND FLASH memory products.

NAND flash memory, used in portable storage devices (USBs) and digital cameras, is produced by many semiconductor companies, making product competitiveness and cost reduction the core of market competitiveness. However, early NAND flash had a high defect rate due to interference phenomena caused by narrow spaces. Lee introduced a plasma-based process to reduce the defect rate.

Lee said, "Semiconductors are a collection of science and technology," adding, "I only received this award representing the passion and efforts of many who worked hard to secure NAND flash competitiveness, and I will continue to do my best to maintain South Korea's semiconductor industry as the world's number one."

In the SME category, Ok Youngdoo, head of research, was selected. He localized Korea's first high-strength bolts for aviation and contributed to lightweight vehicle parts through the development of core technologies for parts processing and devices.

The stabilizer, which adjusts vehicle ride comfort and cornering, was a cause of cost increase and vehicle weight gain due to excessive processes and durability issues. Ok contributed to strengthening the competitiveness of vehicle parts by developing a new stabilizer that reduced weight and increased durability, achieving a cost reduction effect of more than 30-40% compared to existing products.

Ok said, "Based on the automotive bolt industry, I will continue research and development in aviation, defense, and other industries to contribute to the development of domestic industries," adding, "I will also strive to become a global company through active overseas expansion."

Ok Young-du, Head of Research at Geumseong Bolt Industry

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.