Professor Kim Jeong-ho of the Department of Electrical Engineering at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), known as the "Father of High Bandwidth Memory (HBM)," has hinted that he may not run for the position of president. With the KAIST presidential selection process likely to be delayed for an extended period, he intends to focus on semiconductor research to enhance national competitiveness rather than pursuing the presidency.
On the 11th, Professor Kim told Asia Economy, "I am considering not applying for the next presidential candidate recruitment scheduled for the end of this month." Professor Kim was selected as an internal candidate for the next KAIST president by the KAIST Faculty Council in October, along with Professor Ryu Seok-young from the Department of Computer Science.
Professor Kim explained, "At this point, I have reflected on whether running for the presidency suits me and whether it would make me happy." His remarks are interpreted as a decision to dedicate himself to research rather than challenging for the KAIST presidency, believing this path will strengthen national competitiveness.
In 2020, Professor Kim was also one of the final three presidential candidates recommended by the Faculty Council to the KAIST Board of Trustees but was not ultimately selected. This time as well, he has succeeded in gaining support from the faculty. To date, no KAIST president has been appointed solely based on internal faculty support.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
