The Ministry of Science and ICT (Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT Bae Kyung-hoon) held the ‘2026 Technology Developers’ Day’ ceremony at the Fairmont Ambassador Seoul on September 7, honoring the efforts of 450,000 technology developers nationwide. It was the first ceremony held after the day was designated as a statutory national commemorative day this year, and through the awarding of meritorious individuals it helped cultivate a social climate in which scientists and engineers are respected.
 [코리안투데이] The 2026 Technology Developers’ Day ceremony © 장형임 기자 |
Technology Developers’ Day is a commemorative day established to boost the research motivation of engineers and corporate researchers, the unsung driving force behind national economic growth and industrial development. It carries great significance in that society now officially honors corporate research personnel who have sustained industrial sites without any separate national recognition until now.
Technology developers refer to personnel who work exclusively on research and development activities at corporate-affiliated research institutes. As of 2024, they number about 450,000, exceeding 70 percent of the nation’s 610,000 research personnel. The corporate-affiliated research institute recognition system provides benefits such as R&D tax credits, participation in and bonus points for national R&D projects, and the use of specialized research personnel to companies equipped with a certain research space and dedicated staff. Since the system was introduced in 1981, the number has grown to some 70,000 as of June this year, including about 40,000 corporate-affiliated research institutes and about 30,000 dedicated R&D departments.
The ceremony was attended by key figures from industry, academia, and research, including Prime Minister Han Seong-sook, Song Ki-heon, Chair of the National Assembly’s Science, Technology, Broadcasting and Communications Committee, Vice Minister of Science and ICT Koo Hyuk-chae, and Koo Ja-kyun, President of the Korea Industrial Technology Association. The awards consisted of 55 government commendations for merit in private R&D and technology management, 35 Deputy Prime Minister’s commendations, and 11 Outstanding Researcher Awards presented by the President of the Korea Industrial Technology Association. The 55 government commendations comprised 3 orders of merit, 4 medals of honor, 20 presidential citations, and 28 prime minister’s citations.
In the Technology Developers’ Day merit category, researchers and companies who have long devoted themselves to national industrial development and enhancing technological competitiveness received awards. Three Orders of Science and Technology Merit were conferred. The Innovation Medal (2nd grade) went to Lee Jin-yeop, Executive Vice President of Samsung Electronics Co., who led the memory market through achievements such as the world’s first mass production of 1Gb NAND flash memory and the development of vertically stacked NAND flash memory. The Ungbi Medal (3rd grade) was awarded to Song Geun-seok, Executive Vice President of HK inno.N Corp., who led the development of a new drug for gastrointestinal diseases that overcame the limitations of pre-meal dosing and delayed efficacy, and to Jang Ji-eun, Executive Vice President of SK hynix Inc., who led the AI server and mobile memory markets through the development of ultra-high-capacity server DRAM and low-power, high-bandwidth compact mobile memory.
Four Medals of Science and Technology Merit were awarded to Ko Gi-ok, leader of the Flight Control Law Team at Korea Aerospace Industries, who independently developed the flight control laws for the FA-50 light attack aircraft and the KF-21 fighter jet; Ryu Jin-ho, Research Fellow at POSCO Co., who led decarbonization Bridge technology that gradually reduces carbon emissions using existing blast furnace facilities as well as briquette manufacturing technology; Park Woo-jin, Head of the Global Product Development Research Group at LS Electric Co., who led the development of Korea’s first DC 1000V-class and the world’s first DC 1500V-class air circuit breakers; and Lee Ho-gi, Head of the Eco-Friendly Research Center at Samsung Heavy Industries Co., who independently developed and commercialized an eco-friendly alternative-fuel ship fuel supply system.
Twenty presidential citations were awarded, comprising 13 to individuals and 7 to organizations. In the individual category, 13 people were selected, including An Byeong-un, Head of the Research Institute at Park Systems Corp., who developed and commercialized an atomic force microscope-based semiconductor metrology and inspection system. In the organization category, 7 companies were selected, including CN1 Co., which developed ultra-high-frequency plasma atomic layer deposition equipment. Twenty-eight prime minister’s citations were awarded, comprising 20 to individuals and 8 to organizations. In the individual category, 20 people were selected, including Heo Seon-a, CEO of Hyper Neurotech Co., who contributed to the localization of lightweight composite materials through the development of carbon composite frames. In the organization category, 8 companies were listed, including ATEC Co., which contributed to the digital transformation of finance and distribution by localizing core technologies for financial automation devices and developing smart, AI-based interactive machines.
In the corporate research and technology promotion merit category, 35 Deputy Prime Minister’s commendations were awarded (25 to individuals, 10 to organizations). In the individual category, 25 people were selected, including Park Tae-seo, Executive Vice President of JUSUNG Co., who contributed to optimizing high-density DRAM and 3D NAND flash production technology through core semiconductor device and process technologies, the localization of advanced equipment, and humidity control technology. In the organization category, 10 companies were selected, including S&C Lab Co., which developed and commercialized Korea’s first automatic accessibility diagnosis technology, contributing to closing the information gap for digitally vulnerable groups such as people with disabilities and the elderly. In addition, 11 Outstanding Researcher Awards, presented by the President of the Korea Industrial Technology Association, were given to research personnel poised to grow into next-generation R&D leaders at corporate-affiliated research institutes.
The Ministry of Science and ICT expects that the designation of this commemorative day and the holding of its first ceremony will serve as an opportunity to elevate the social recognition of corporate research personnel who have quietly produced results at the forefront of national R&D.
지역 홍보대사 신청 기자양성과정 신청 코리안투데이 지부장 신청 코리안투데이 인천강화코리안브랜드대상 신청 최고경영인대상 신청 소비자만족도대상 신청
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