Yisangil, Mayor of Yongin, Discusses Semiconductor Talent Development Plans with K-GTSEC

by Jung Doohwan

Published 21 Jan.2025 08:29(KST)

Building a System to Strengthen Yongin's Semiconductor Industry and Specialized Talent Capabilities

Lee Sang-il, Mayor of Yongin City, Gyeonggi Province, met with Yeo Woon-hong, Director of the Georgia Tech Global Industrial Technology Cooperation Center (K-GTSEC), on the 20th to discuss ways to nurture talent related to the semiconductor industry.

Lee Sang-il, Mayor of Yongin, is discussing semiconductor cooperation plans with Yeo Woon-hong, Director of the Georgia Tech Global Industry Technology Cooperation Center (K-GTSEC), and his delegation during their visit to Yongin City Hall. Photo by Yongin City

K-GTSEC is a center established at the Georgia Institute of Technology through cooperation between Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and Georgia Tech to create a technological cooperation hub in the semiconductor field between the two countries. Director Yeo currently serves as a chaired professor in mechanical engineering and biomedical engineering at Georgia Tech.

During the meeting, Mayor Lee and Director Yeo exchanged opinions on ▲ holding technology exchange forums between K-GTSEC and universities and companies in the Yongin area ▲ operating advanced semiconductor technology and research environment experience programs for outstanding high school students in Yongin ▲ running programs to enhance the capabilities of high-level semiconductor personnel in the Yongin region. Previously, the two institutions signed an online memorandum of understanding in October last year to establish a global semiconductor network.

Director Yeo also requested Mayor Lee to participate as a speaker at the Korea-US Science and Technology Conference (UKC 2025) to be held in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, this coming August.

Mayor Lee said, "I believe UKC 2025 will be a meaningful event for Yongin's semiconductor industry," adding, "We will positively consider K-GTSEC's proposal and establish a system that can develop Yongin's semiconductor industry and strengthen the capabilities of specialized personnel."

Director Yeo stated, "We expect that the two institutions will be able to build an advanced talent development system related to the semiconductor industry based on a cooperative relationship utilizing each other's capabilities."