Localization of Photoresist Amid Japan's Export Restrictions: Chairman Lee Buseop Passes Away

Lee Buseop, the late chairman of Dongjin Semichem who localized key technologies for photoresist (PR), a core semiconductor material, in response to Japan's export restrictions on materials, components, and equipment, passed away on February 25. He was 87 years old.

Born in Seoul, he graduated from Gyeonggi High School and earned both his bachelor's and master's degrees from the Department of Textile Engineering (now the Department of Chemical Engineering) at Seoul National University.

He began his career in 1962 working in the research lab at Daehan Photochemical Industry. In 1964, he became the head of the technology department at the Korea Productivity Center, and in 1967, he founded Dongjin Chemical Industry (now Dongjin Semichem), dedicating his entire life to the development of chemical materials. In December 1980, amid the second oil shock, the company went bankrupt and was under court receivership until 1989. In 1983, he succeeded in developing EMC (Epoxy Molding Compound), an encapsulant that protects semiconductors from external shocks and contamination. This achievement sparked his interest in semiconductor materials, and upon realizing that the country relied entirely on imports for photoresist (PR), he invested all the profits from selling foaming agents into PR development.

the late Lee Buseop, chairman of Dongjin Semichem

He launched full-scale development by selecting two scholarship students through an industry-academia collaboration with his alma mater, Seoul National University's Department of Textile Engineering. In October 1989, he succeeded in developing PR for the first time in Korea and the fourth time in the world. In 1990, he successfully sold the first product to Sammi Electronics, and later succeeded in developing PR for displays for the first time in Korea.

In 1994, he succeeded in supplying PR for 4-megabit DRAM to Samsung Electronics. He went on to develop G-line (436nm), I-line (365nm), KrF (248nm), and ArF (193nm) photoresists.

From 2014 to 2017, he served as president of the Korean Federation of Science and Technology Societies. He also served as president of the Korean Society of Industrial Chemistry and the Korea Engineers Club. He received the Korea Engineering Technology Award, the Gold Tower Order of Industrial Service Merit from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, and the Presidential Citation at the Korea Venture Startup Expo, among other honors.

He is survived by his wife Jang Myeongok and two sons, Lee Junkyu (Vice Chairman of Dongjin Semichem) and Lee Junhyuk (Vice Chairman of Dongjin Semichem). The funeral will be held in Special Room 1 of the Sinchon Severance Hospital Funeral Hall, with the procession at 9 a.m. on March 1. 02-2227-7500

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