[Interview] Seok Junhee, Head of Semiconductor Engineering at Korea University: "To Prevent Talent Drain to Medical Schools, We Must Inspire Trust as 'World No.1'"

2021: The De Facto First Year of 'K-Semiconductor Contract Departments'
Comprehensive Education in Memory, Non-Memory Design, Process, Devices, and Market Conditions
Developing Well-Rounded Talents with Strong Fundamentals Like Two-Way Baseball Players

"Early next year, graduates from the Department of Semiconductor Engineering at Korea University will join SK Hynix as full-time employees. If more cases emerge where graduates realize their undergraduate dream of becoming the world’s best in the semiconductor field after joining SK Hynix, the number of freshmen choosing semiconductor departments over medical schools will increase."

Seok Junhee, head of the Department of Semiconductor Engineering at Korea University, is being interviewed by Asia Economy at the department office in Anam-dong, Seoul. Photo by Huh Younghan younghan@

Seok Junhee, head of the Department of Semiconductor Engineering at Korea University, said this in an interview with Asia Economy on the 29th of last month at the Creative Hall of Korea University in Anam-dong, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul. Professor Seok mentioned that although engineering suits some students’ aptitudes, freshmen sometimes change their major to medicine after enrollment due to the high job stability. He emphasized, "Many students in our department prefer semiconductor companies over medical schools, but even they can change their career paths. To nurture their dreams as semiconductor engineers rather than doctors, we need to instill confidence that if they graduate from the contract department and join SK Hynix as full-time employees, they can become the world’s best in their field, like engineers at Google or Tesla."

Professor Seok considers 2021 as the inaugural year of Korea’s semiconductor contract departments. This is based on the launch of contract departments at Korea University (SK Hynix) and Yonsei University (Samsung Electronics) in 2021, followed by the establishment of such departments at nine universities over four years. Starting early next year, graduates from Korea University and Yonsei University will join Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix as full-time employees.

He is confident that the semiconductor contract department system will be maintained for a long time because companies prefer these departments for talent acquisition and enhancing expertise. Typically, graduates from recruitment-linked contract departments are obligated to join the respective companies, and if they breach the contract, they must return the financial support provided by the company. Due to this system, it is very rare for contract department graduates to join other companies.

Another advantage of the semiconductor contract departments is that, unlike non-contract engineering students, they do not need to take engineering courses unrelated to semiconductors, which increases the efficiency of their studies. Professor Seok explained, "In the semiconductor contract department, students only take semiconductor-related courses. While non-contract students take other subjects, our students study semiconductor-specialized courses such as non-memory semiconductor devices and design, and have opportunities to participate in research and practical training with graduate students or professors."

Seok Jun-hee, head of the Department of Semiconductor Engineering at Korea University, is being interviewed by Asia Economy at the department office in Anam-dong, Seoul. In front of him is a LEGO model of the SK Hynix factory, a contracted company of the Department of Semiconductor Engineering. Photo by Huh Young-han younghan@

At Korea University’s semiconductor contract department, classes cover not only memory semiconductors but also non-memory semiconductors. In the 'Understanding Memory Technology' course (first semester of senior year) offered by SK Hynix, 5 to 6 current engineers from SK Hynix conduct process-related classes. In the 'Basic Semiconductor Seminar' course (second semester of junior year), current and former SK Hynix executives teach semiconductor market conditions, history, technology roadmaps, and geopolitical issues.

Korea University’s goal is to enhance the curriculum so that undergraduates can experience all 'eight major semiconductor processes' over four years. To this end, they plan to establish a 200-pyeong (approximately 660 square meters) cleanroom in the Jeong Woon-oh IT Liberal Arts Building (2 floors above ground, 10 floors underground), scheduled for completion by the end of this year, to increase practical training opportunities for undergraduates. Additionally, in the first and second semesters of the senior year, they will operate an 'Undergraduate Research Internship' program where students can participate in research with their advisors and graduate students in their desired fields.

Professor Seok’s educational philosophy is to cultivate talent who are not only technically proficient but also well-versed in global industry and overseas market trends. From March to June, the Department of Semiconductor Engineering at Korea University sent 23 undergraduates to the University of California, Davis (UC Davis) to provide semester-long educational programs. Professor Seok said, "Just as a baseball player who mastered both hitting and pitching in high school chooses to excel as either a fielder or pitcher in the pros, our goal is to nurture personnel who have solid fundamentals across the entire semiconductor spectrum, including memory and non-memory semiconductor technologies and global trends."