The semiconductor institute of Kim Chaek University of Technology is one of the units which play an important part in boosting production in various sectors of the national economy.

In recent years alone it has developed a variety of electronic devices with locally available raw materials and by relying on new production methods and introduced them into various sectors. They include a custom sensor, output device, rectifier for control, power semiconductors for various purposes, digital temperature relay, digital thermal regulator, water gauge, and flowmeter.

Last year it built an integrated power generation management system at Orangchon Power Station Unit 3, contributing to its completion.

These successes are attributable to the painstaking efforts of its director Pak Yong Thaek.

Born to a doctor’s family in Chongjin, North Hamgyong Province, Pak had originally dreamed of becoming a doctor like his father.

But one day before graduation from the middle school, he changed the course of his life to engineering.

That day he went to a machine factory for practical training with other students, but they could not do it properly as it was poorly equipped with electronic equipment.

Referring to the importance of the subject of electronic engineering that day, his physics teacher said the country could develop when it had many scientists and technicians pioneering innovations in this field.

From then on, the word “electronic engineering” was always at the back of his mind and gradually he became interested in the subject.

Electronic engineering was an interesting yet difficult subject as it is an area of knowledge to study the motions of electrons in vacuum, gas and solid and develop and apply electronic appliances and devices.

Hardening his resolve to become a scientist in the field without fail, Pak enrolled at the electronic engineering faculty of Kim Chaek University of Technology and concentrated his effort on study.

He acquired ample knowledge by joining the students’ scientific research group while expanding the scope of study to adjacent subjects as well as his major and contributing to the implementation of several research projects including the development of bipolar semiconductor integrated circuit and device for fire alarm.

As a postgraduate student he consolidated his scientific and theoretical basis for undertaking high-tech research projects independently.

Later, he became a researcher of the then semiconductor integrated circuit institute and published a valuable dissertation to earn an advanced degree. And he continued to carry out important research projects including the development of power semiconductor.

With the passage of time he climbed the career ladder to its deputy director for scientific affairs and director, while maintaining his scholastic attitude.

He undertook a series of research projects by himself, while intensifying collaborative research between labs and researchers.

He arranged scientific conferences even for one novel idea, gave full support to something new and original and completed projects with the concerted efforts of the collective.

As a result, the institute achieved successes in research one after another.

Among them are the development of advanced-level electronic products including 300A solid-state relay using semiconductor, single- and multi-channel temperature display, 200A power rectification element, position detection device, resistance-type pressure sensor and semiconductor pressure transmitter and the adoption of a new disinfection method which is very helpful to anti-epidemic work.

In the course of it, the institute received thanks, words of praises and high appreciation from Chairman Kim Jong Il and General Secretary Kim Jong Un dozens of times and Pak became an academician, professor, PhD and Merited Scientist.

Now the institute concentrates on research into domestic production of electronic components and production of various kinds of automation devices set forth by the Eighth Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea.