Q: From your personal perspective, what do you see as the most important trends shaping the semiconductor industry over the next 5–10 years? And, how do you personally stay informed or adapt to changes in this evolving landscape?

A: From my perspective, the next 5–10 years will be marked by a dramatic surge in electricity demand across various sectors. While the EV market is currently stabilizing after rapid early growth, the demand driven by AI data centers and renewable energy systems is accelerating exponentially. This will make power semiconductor technologies critical national strategic assets.

As countries pursue hyper-innovation economies, technologies enabling energy-efficient power conversion, especially SiC and GaN—will be key enablers of competitiveness. Of course, advanced packaging and memory integration.

To stay informed in this fast-changing environment, I actively participate in international conferences, follow industrial updates through LinkedIn and semiconductor magazines, and regularly engage in collaborative R&D projects. In addition, I keep track of IEEE and international technology roadmaps to align my research direction with global trends.

Q: With rapid advances in semiconductor technologies and supporting innovations such as AI, 6G, and advanced chip design, how do you personally prioritize staying innovative Which emerging technologies do you find most exciting or potentially transformative for the industry?

A: In my work, innovation is about linking materials to systems. We focus on developing advanced power semiconductor devices based on wide bandgap (WBG) materials, integrating the full chain from epitaxial growth and device fabrication to packaging and power electronics applications.

This system-level perspective is crucial as increasing power density and conversion efficiency become major technological goals. Cooling, grid stability, and energy conversion efficiency are emerging as equally critical challenges that must evolve alongside semiconductor device innovation.

Q: The semiconductor industry faces a complex global supply chain and various market challenges. From your experience, how do you think professionals can navigate these risks effectively?

A: The semiconductor ecosystem is deeply globalized and highly interdependent. To navigate its complexity, professionals must understand both value chains and supply chains in detail. A long-term, vertically integrated strategy, from materials, device, process, and packaging to circuit and system level, is essential.

National R&D programs can play a vital role by promoting international collaboration where domestic capabilities are limited. At the same time, strategic investment in core technologies and workforce development can ensure technological self-reliance while maintaining healthy global partnerships.

Q: Looking back, what was the toughest professional decision you’ve made, and what did you learn from it?

A: One of the toughest decisions I faced was during an international collaboration in power semiconductor development classified as a strategic technology in several countries. Balancing export control compliance with effective global partnership was extremely challenging.

Through that experience, I learned how vital it is to establish clear administrative protocols, mutual understanding, and verification of technical capabilities among partners before project initiation. Trust, transparency, and shared objectives are the foundation of successful semiconductor collaboration.

Q: What advice would you give to individuals, startups, or entrepreneurs entering the semiconductor industry today?

A: To individuals and startups entering this industry, I would say: don’t jump in simply because the market looks promising. Understand the rules of the game. Build your business model around your core competencies and know your target applications. Semiconductor success requires both technological excellence and strategic awareness of demand-side dynamics.

Q: How do you personally see semiconductor technologies and innovations like AI shaping society in the coming years?

A: Finally, semiconductors have always been the foundation of technological progress. As AI and data-driven systems advance, semiconductors will not only shape computing power but also redefine how society manages and consumes energy. The convergence of AI and semiconductor innovation will drive both economic and environmental transformation.