[News Figures] Lee Geum-ju Nominated as Samsung's Female President Candidate

Dedicated to Semiconductor Research Since Joining in 1996
Leading DS Semiconductor Lab, Contributed to DRAM 'Super Gap' Advancement

Geumju Lee, Vice President of DRAM Process Development Team, Semiconductor Research Laboratory, Semiconductor Solutions (DS) Division, Samsung Electronics / Photo by Samsung Electronics

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Ju-hyung] As Samsung produced its first female president in this year's year-end executive reshuffle, attention is also focusing on the next group of female president candidates at Samsung. In the electronics industry, it is widely expected that talents who share the common keywords of 'female' and 'technology,' which Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong has consistently emphasized, are highly likely to be appointed as the next female presidents.

The nine female talents promoted in this executive reshuffle also possess these qualities. Among them, the most notable figure is Vice President Lee Geum-ju, who has devoted over 20 years to memory semiconductor research. She has been responsible for developing next-generation processes and improving yield for Samsung's core product, DRAM, at the Semiconductor Research Institute's Process Development Team within the Device Solutions (DS) division.

Born in 1971, Vice President Lee graduated from Chung-Ang University with a degree in Chemistry and joined Samsung Electronics in 1996. Her first department was Samsung's Memory Business Division RS Technology Group. RS stands for Resistive-Switching, a component that constitutes memory semiconductors.

Since then, she has worked in the PE (Product Engineering) Technology Group in 2002, and from 2004 onwards, she has been affiliated with the Semiconductor Research Institute, serving in the NRD (New Technology Research and Development) Process Technology Group 1, Process Development 1P/J (2010?2014), and Process Development Office (2014?2019). In 2020, she led DRAM technology development (TD), and since last year, she has been leading new process development and yield stabilization projects in the DRAM Process Development Team.

Leading Samsung DRAM Competitiveness: The Semiconductor Research Institute

The Semiconductor Research Institute, where Vice President Lee has worked, is responsible for developing next-generation products of DRAM, Samsung's core business. Samsung DRAM holds about 43% of the global market (according to IC Insights as of Q3 this year), and DRAM accounts for 50% of Samsung's semiconductor division's total sales. Therefore, the achievements of the Semiconductor Research Institute under Vice President Lee's leadership are directly linked to Samsung's overall competitiveness.

Samsung's leading-edge 14-nanometer (nm) DRAM / Photo by Samsung Electronics website capture

During the 12 years Vice President Lee has worked at the Semiconductor Research Institute, Samsung has never lost its number one position in the DRAM sector even once. In 2016, Samsung became the first in the memory semiconductor industry to successfully mass-produce 10-nanometer (nm) class DRAM, ushering in the era of a full-fledged 'super-gap.'

Additionally, the Semiconductor Research Institute has been dedicated to pioneering research and development, such as developing '3D DRAM' technology that overcomes the limitations of existing DRAM fine processes and laying the foundation for next-generation semiconductors 'MRAM (Magnetoresistive RAM),' which addresses the standby power consumption issues of conventional DRAM.

Samsung: "Strengthening the Appointment of Young Leaders and Technical Talents"

Meanwhile, in this regular reshuffle, Samsung promoted a total of 187 executives, including 59 vice presidents, 107 senior managers, 2 fellows, and 19 masters. Among them, a total of 11 are female and global talents, including Vice President Lee.

Regarding this, Samsung emphasized, "Despite the uncertain management environment due to the global economic downturn, we will proactively prepare and boldly seek new businesses. We have strengthened the appointment of young leaders and talents in the technology sector."