"HBM Is About Packaging, Not Miniaturization... Mechanical and Materials Talent Is Key"

Lee Kangwook, Vice President of SK Hynix, Emphasizes at KAIST Lecture
"Need to Secure Talent in Packaging Ahead of the Competition"

"The future development of HBM (High Bandwidth Memory) will require talent from a wide range of fields, including mechanical engineering and materials science, rather than just focusing on miniaturization."

Kangwook Lee, Vice President of SK Hynix (left), is stepping down from the podium after giving a lecture to students at KAIST in Daejeon on the 23rd and answering questions. Photo by Paek Jongmin, Tech Specialist

Lee Kangwook, Vice President of SK Hynix, who has led the company's dominance in the High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) sector, delivered a lecture at KAIST on the 23rd, emphasizing that the semiconductor industry's workforce landscape is rapidly changing. He explained, "In HBM packaging processes, thermal management, structural analysis, and the use of new materials are essential," adding, "More than 30% of SK Hynix's packaging development personnel come from a mechanical engineering background, which shows the significant contribution of the mechanical field."

Vice President Lee played a leading role in introducing the MR-MUF (Molded Redistribution-Mass Underfill) technology applied to HBM3 at SK Hynix. This technology is credited with being a decisive factor in SK Hynix's dominance of the HBM market. In recognition of these achievements, he became the first person from the corporate sector to receive the Kang Daewon Award in the packaging category in 2025. The Kang Daewon Award commemorates the achievements of the late Dr. Kang Daewon, who developed the world's first MOSFET.

He explained that while the semiconductor industry has traditionally focused on design and process, things have changed in the era of artificial intelligence.

Vice President Lee stressed, "HBM is not just a simple memory, but an essential component that determines the performance of AI accelerators and data center servers. Without packaging capabilities, it is impossible to survive in global competition." He added, "One reason I lecture to students ahead of our competitors is to proactively secure the next generation of engineers as part of our recruitment efforts." He also mentioned that he had given a lecture at Hanyang University before coming to KAIST.

He identified SK Hynix's HBM packaging competitiveness as the company's greatest strength. While packaging was once limited to chip protection and connection, it has now evolved into a core technology that determines semiconductor performance, reliability, and lifespan. Vice President Lee said, "Advanced packaging is not just a simple back-end process but a core that creates new business opportunities. The talent leading this technology will be the key to winning in the semiconductor industry."

Vice President Lee predicted that the contribution of mechanical engineers in HBM packaging, which already exceeds 30%, will become even more significant in the future.

The students were fully engaged throughout Vice President Lee's lecture. Many students, unable to find seats, sat on the hallway floor to listen attentively. Yoon Jiweon, a doctoral student at KAIST's Terra Lab, said, "It was great to hear directly from someone in the field."