KCC Researcher Honored with Prime Minister’s Commendation for Contributing to Localization of Semiconductor Materials

Tae-yun Kim of KCC Led Over 20 Years of EMC R&D
Localized EMC for DDR5 Mass-Produced Since October Last Year

A researcher from KCC’s semiconductor materials division has received a government award for contributing to the localization of semiconductor encapsulation material (EMC) and enhancing technological competitiveness.

At the '2026 Technology Developers' Day Ceremony,' Kim Taeyoon, Senior Manager at KCC (left), who received the Prime Minister's Commendation, is taking a commemorative photo with Gong Byungseon, Executive Director at KCC. KCC

Tae-yun Kim, Senior Manager of KCC’s Semiconductor Packaging Material Research Team, received the Prime Minister’s Commendation at the ‘2026 Technology Development Day Ceremony’ held at the Grand Ballroom of the Fairmont Ambassador Seoul in Yeouido on September 7.

Kim was recognized for over 20 years of research and development on EMC, leading the localization of advanced semiconductor materials. The core accomplishment for this award is the localization of advanced EMC material applied to main memory DDR5 semiconductor packages. DDR5 is the latest generation of high-performance DRAM memory that enables fast processing of large-scale data in servers and PCs.

Previously, Korea relied on Japanese-made products, but through continuous research and development, KCC succeeded in localization and began mass production and supply in October last year. KCC’s localized EMC protects DDR5 semiconductors from external shocks as well as heat and humidity. EMC is an encapsulation material for semiconductors that shields chips and circuits from heat, moisture, shock, and other external factors. As semiconductors become more highly integrated and high-performance, greater heat resistance, reliability, and precision in process compatibility are required.

KCC has been engaged in EMC research and development since 1985 — the first in Korea — and has continued to upgrade quality in line with the advancement of semiconductor technology. The company has accumulated expertise in material design and processing technology to localize high-tech semiconductor materials that have a high reliance on imports. As this technology has been applied to actual mass production processes and is being supplied stably, it is expected to contribute to strengthening the competitiveness of domestic semiconductor materials.

Tae-yun Kim said, “It is very meaningful to have the EMC research and development, which I have diligently pursued together with KCC’s outstanding researchers, be recognized in this way. Although I am receiving this award on behalf of the team, it is the result of collective efforts by all KCC employees, and we will continue research to localize advanced semiconductor materials and enhance technological competitiveness for the advancement of Korea’s semiconductor industry.”

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