Description
Book SynopsisThis book provides real stories about the South Korean semiconductor community. It explores the lives and careers of six influential semiconductor engineers who all studied at Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) under the mentorship of Dr. Kim Choong-Ki, the most influential semiconductor professor in South Korea during the last quarter of the twentieth century. Kimâs students became known as âœKimâs Mafiaâ because of the important positions they went on to hold in industry, government, and academia. This book will be of interest to semiconductor engineers and electronics engineers, historians of science and technology, and scholars and students of East Asian studies.
âœThey were called âKimâs Mafia.â Kim Choong-Ki himself wouldnât have put it that way. But it was true what semiconductor engineers in South Korea whispered about his former students: They were everywhere. â Kim was the first professor in South Korea to systematically teach semiconductor engineering. From 1975, when the nation had barely begun producing its first transistors, to 2008, when he retired from teaching, Kim trained more than 100 students, effectively creating the first two generations of South Korean semiconductor experts.â (Source: IEEE Spectrum, October, 2022.)
Table of ContentsList of Abbreviations. Note on Romanization of Korean. Preface. Introduction. 1. Historical Background: Science and Technology in South Korea, KAIST, and the Semiconductor Industry. Part I Mentor 2. Godfather of the South Korean Semiconductor Community: Kim Choong-Ki. Part II Mentees 3. Teacher, Chip Designer, Patron of Startups, and Spokesperson: Kyung Chong-Min. 4. Mr. NAND Flash: Lim Hyung-Kyu. 5. Exploring New Semiconductor Areas: Cho Byung-Jin. 6. Master of TFT-LCD and OLED: Ha Yong-Min. 7. Treasure of SK Hynix: Park Sung-Kye. 8. Engineer-Entrepreneur: Chung Han. Epilogue: Who Will Become the Next Kim Choong- Ki?. References. Bibliography. Index.
