The "Inventor of the Year" award has produced its first female recipient, 15 years after the program was established.
The Korea Intellectual Property Office said Wednesday it held the 61st Invention Day ceremony at COEX Magok in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, naming Kim Eun-mi, vice president of Caregen (214370.KQ), as this year's Inventor of the Year. The award annually recognizes one inventor whose development of new products and technologies has significantly contributed to enhancing national competitiveness. Since the program began in 2011, 16 inventors have been selected through this year. Kim is the first female recipient since the program's inception in 2011. She was recognized for leveraging original material patents in the peptide field to lead the development and commercialization of various healthcare products, including anti-obesity and anti-diabetic treatments, thereby strengthening the competitiveness of Korea's bio industry.
At the ceremony, the Korea Intellectual Property Office awarded the Gold Tower Order of Industrial Service Merit to Ahn Hyun, president and head of development at SK hynix (000660.KS). As SK hynix's chief development officer (CDO), Ahn directed the development and mass production of the world's first sixth-generation High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) semiconductor, HBM4, as well as ultra-high-layer 4D NAND. The government recognized Ahn's role in solidifying Korea's technological leadership in the global semiconductor market.
The Silver Tower Order of Industrial Service Merit went to Cho Sung-hyun, CEO of HL Mando (204320.KS). Cho led innovation in electrification and software technology for automotive components. He was also credited with expanding into the actuator field — components that function as joints in robot drivetrains — contributing to the competitiveness of both the automotive and robotics industries.
The ceremony was attended by approximately 300 people, including Kim Yong-sun, commissioner of the Korea Intellectual Property Office, heads of invention-related organizations, award recipients and their families. The agency presented a total of 85 awards to those who have contributed to invention and technological innovation.
"The innovative achievements Korea has built today were nurtured by the fierce passion and dedication of inventors who quietly took on challenges in the field," Commissioner Kim said. "We will continue to build an intellectual property-based innovation ecosystem so that the creative ideas of our citizens can lead to new industries and growth."
