“Is this the wafer Biden held?” Posed dozens of questions"

Former Prosecutor General Seok-yeol Yoon visits SNU Inter-University Semiconductor Research Center

Former Prosecutor General Seok-yeol Yoon visited the SNU Inter-university Semiconductor Research Center on the 17th and posed for a photo in front of the bust of the late Dr. Dawon Kahng, a semiconductor physicist.

It has been reported that the former Prosecutor General Seok-yeoul Yoon, a powerful presidential contender in the opposition party, visited SNU Inter-university Semiconductor Research Center.

In the midst of the semiconductor supply and demand crisis, which is taking its blow to the nation’s key industries, he visited the R&D forefront himself to communicate with experts.

This is the first time Former Prosecutor General Yoon contacted the major industries in Korea since his resignation in March.

On the afternoon of the 17th, Former Prosecutor General Yoon looked around the facility for four hours with the guidance of Endowed-Chair Professor Deog-Kyoon Jeong of SNU ECE and the Center Chair Jong-Ho Lee, without attendants.

This is also where Yun-mo, Sung, the Minister of Trade, Industry, and Energy, held a meeting last month and announced the plan to raise semiconductor experts to strengthen industrial competitiveness.

Yoon is said to have gushed out dozens of questions to the two professors, authorities in the academia.

His curiosity was mostly focused on semiconductor production technology, including “How is a silicon wafer and a substrate different” and “What does the ‘resistor’ mean in the ‘photoresistor’.”

Former Prosecutor General Yoon first requested a tour of the fab, a semiconductor production facility, and showed enthusiasm, inspecting the equipment for over 30 minutes.

Specifically, he pointed out some equipment in the fab and asked about the replacement costs, saying, “These seem to be old equipment that have fallen far behind in the age of nano semiconductors.”

Yoon is also said to have shown interest in nurturing semiconductor research personnel.

His exchange with the professors included: “I heard that China has five times more semiconductor researchers than we do?”, “How did you know?”, “I read it in a book.”

He also urged the professors to let him know if there is any policy necessary in the future.

Former Prosecutor General Seok-yeol Yoon, who visited SNU Inter-university Semiconductor Research Center

Former Prosecutor General Seok-yeol Yoon visited the SNU Inter-university Semiconductor Research Center on the 17th and posed for a photo in front of the bust of the late semiconductor physicist Dr. Dawon Kahng.

He pointed to the wafer in the lab and asked, “Is this what the US President Joe Biden held during the White House semiconductor meeting?”

According to sources from the research center, he showed curiosity the whole time, taking photos in front of the bust of the late Dr. Dawon Kahng, a pioneer in semiconductor research.

Professor Jeong said during his phone call with Yonhap News, “Former Prosecutor General Yoon visited the research center to improve his technical understanding of semiconductors. I was quite surprised because he was quite knowledgeable about natural science and was quick to understand.”

It was said that the issue of pardoning Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Jae-yong Lee, a matter strongly demanded by the semiconductor industry, was not mentioned during the meeting.

An acquaintance of Yoon said, however, “He said that the way he views companies changed slightly compared to when he was a prosecutor. I think in that context, he seems to have recognized the importance of the semiconductor industry.”

After his resignation, Former Prosecutor General Yoon is continuing his ‘election class’ secretly by communicating with experts from various fields in private.

Previously, he met with Yonsei University Emeritus Professor Hyung-seok Kim, Joong-Ang Sangha University Professor Seung-Kuk Jeong (정승국), Korea University Graduate School of International Studies Professor Sung-han Kim, and Sun-woo Kwon (권순우), Head of the Korea Institute of Self-emplotment (한국자영업연구원), and discussed labor, diplomacy and security, and the economy.

Source: http://ee.snu.ac.kr/community/news?bm=v&bbsidx=51348

Translated by: Jee Hyun Lee, English Editor of Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, jlee621@snu.ac.kr