As the Head of the Chemical R&D organization at Samyang Chemical Group, a company with a revenue of US$2.5 billion, my primary responsibility is to provide leadership and strategic direction for developing and producing a diverse range of products, from electronic materials tailored for the semiconductor and battery industries (advanced polymers such as PHS, acryl, and silicone, and organic additives such as PAG, photoinitiator, and electrolyte additives), active ingredients for personal care products (like Ceramide, a vital component in skincare and cosmetic formulations), to engineering plastics (compounding and resins), emphasizing a more sustainable and environmentally conscious future by using bio-based materials and recycling strategy.

Managed "specialty chemicals R&D" including electronic materials (photoresists for LCD and organic additives such as photo-initiators and photo acid generators) and active ingredients for personal care.

Managed "electronic materials R&D" working on photoresists for display application (LCD column spacer, overcoat for LCD/touch panel, pixel define layer for OLED) as well as photosensitive compounds (photo-initiators and photo acid generators).

Managed "product development engineering team" on advanced photoresists for lithographic applications in the semiconductor business (mainly ArF), leading raw materials engineering and process technology engineering. One of three key accountable leaders (marketing, discovery R&D, and engineering) representing engineering for advanced photoresists business, including ArF and EUV. Led troubleshooting of customers’ complaints on the quality of products through technical approach.Identified new market spaces and assessed the technical feasibility of the electronic materials business. Generated disruptive business ideas for transformational and adjacent markets based on core competencies of the existing business unit.

Managed "raw material development engineering team" which was globally operated in US and Korea to synthesize/develop/optimize functionalized chemicals including monomers, polymers, and other functionalized materials for KrF and ArF lithography. Managed outsourcing raw materials and strategic development with global suppliers (US, Canada, Japan, Korea and China) including prioritizing key material suppliers for critical/high volume products, leading chemical supplier selection at R&D, Engineering and Commercial phases of product development, setting material supplier audits, and ensuring cost savings were on track by working closely with global procurement teams. Led troubleshooting customer’s complaints on quality of chemicals through technical approach.

Managed "material discovery group" which was globally operated in US and Korea to develop novel materials including monomers, polymers, and other functional chemicals for photolithographic applications in semiconductor business. Led outsourcing and strategic development with global suppliers (US, Canada, Japan, China and Korea) to support product development activities.

Design and conducting multi-steps organic synthesis and reaction methodology development.Taking a leading organic chemist’s role for not only synthesizing new molecules in the lab setting, but also manufacturing target chemicals with contract manufacturing organization (CMO) producing the targeted amount on time and in budget. Contributing to the identification of small impurities contaminated in the raw materials/target products and confirmation the impurities played a critical role to prepare the most problematic by-product in the synthesis using experience in synthetic and mechanistic organic chemistry, analytical separations and characterization methods. Interacting closely with analytical group, formulation group and chemical engineers.Published 8 patents

Design and synthesis of bioorganic molecules, peptides, and peptidomimetics.Published 1 paper in peer-reviewed journal

Design and conducting multi-steps organic synthesis and reaction methodology development.

Design and conducting multi-steps organic synthesis and reaction methodology development. Radiochemistry. Working with Prof. Hank Kung. Published 5 papers in peer-reviewed journals

Military obligation for the country (South Korea) working on synthesis of highly functionalized materials towards molecular recognition, organic nano-wire and -tube working with Prof. Kwang S. Kim.Published 13 papers in peer-reviewed journals including Science and 1 patent.

1-year research abroad allowed during military obligation; total synthesis of ingenol working with Prof. Jin K Cha. Published 1 paper in peer-reviewed journal