Contributed to the advancement of electronics production technology by developing Korean digital appliances to the globally recognized level
Practiced noblesse oblige by returning corporate profits to society via science education, scholarships, and welfare projects
(Late) Kim Jeong-sik
Former Chairman of Daeduck Electronics (1929~2019)
- Academic background
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1946
Graduated from Joseon Electric Engineering High School
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1956
Electronic Communication dept., College of Engineering, Seoul National University
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2002
Honorary Ph.D. in Engineering, Kwangwoon University
- Professional career
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1965
Established Daeduck GDS Co., Ltd. (Chairman)
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1972
Established Daeduck Electronics Co., Ltd. (Chairman)
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1989
Vice President, Korea Electronics Industry Promotion Association
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1991
Established the Haedong Science and Culture Foundation (Chairman)
- Awards
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1979
Order of Industry, Stone Tower Medal
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1990
Order of Industry, Copper Tower Medal
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1999
Order of Industry, Gold Tower Medal
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2000
USD 200 million Export Tower Award
A pioneer of the electronics industry who fostered Korean electronic parts to become the best in the world
Chairman Jeong Sik Kim had a true sense of entrepreneurship, having domesticated the PCB for the first time in Korea, developed a small company into a global one focusing on technology development, and performed corporate social responsibility by helping science education and promotion.
Born in Hamgyeongnam-do In 1929, he became the witness of the Korean electronics industry writing history by developing his own electronics parts company. Graduating from the Joseon Electrics Engineering High School, he entered the Dept. of Electronic Communication at the College of Engineering, Seoul National University. However, due to his poor home, he could not enjoy his studies, and with the Korean War, he joined the air force as a student soldier and became a communications officer. With the experiences at the air force and the knowledge at the school, he established Daeduck Industry (currently Daeduck GDC) in 1965, beginning the electronics industry.
This was the time, in the course of Korean industrialization, when the government enacted the Electronic Industry Promotion Act (1968) and announced policies to foster the electronics industry, making active efforts to industrialize the country. He joined the visiting group to industrialized countries’ electronics industries organized by the industry in 1969, as the Electronics Industry Technology Research Group. That time, he realized the importance of PCBs, the core part of electronic appliances and decided to produce them in Korea. However, as Korea had little technology and experience, he was able to produce a single face PCB only after technical training and the supply of materials from Matsushita of Japan (currently, Panasonic). The PCB is a board with copper lines printed thinly as the shape of the electric lines that access the parts of resistors, capacitors, etc. PCBs are the essential core parts of electronic appliances and have higher and higher fidelity to the order of single face, double face, and multi-level, depending on the laminated structure.
Led the domestication of core electronic parts by developing PCBs for the first time in Korea
In the early 1970s, Daeduck Industry challenged the domestication and advancement of the PCBs. In 1972, it succeeded to domesticate double face PCBs, which were previously imported. After the company changed the name to Daeduck Electronics, PCBs contributed to the enhancement of Korean electronic products’ capacities and price competitiveness. PCBs were also exported to Japanese companies. In 1979, the company domesticated the PCBs for M10CN, the semi-electronic telephone exchange, contributing to the expansion of fixed line telephone supply. The technologies brought forth the success of developing multi-layer PCBs in 1982. Since then, the company grew into a PCB specialty company, exporting to foreign companies such as Nortel Networks and Siemens.
Then, the company reinforced its technological capabilities by developing PCBs needed for new product development such as PCBs for cell phones in the 1990s and PCBs for semiconductors in the 2000s. The company’s technological development in PCBs provided the foundation for Korean electronic products to become the best in the world, by adopting the parts. Daeduck Industry enjoyed the honor of being appointed among the top 200 SMEs, other than those in the USA by Forbes successively in 2001 and 2002. Also, the PCBs for cell phones, STH PCBs, and ultra thin PKG PCBs for semiconductors were selected as the world’s best products by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy, recognized for their technological success. Chairman Kim also made an exemplar case of Korean-style technological innovation moving from copying to creation in the area of PCBs and contributing to enhancing the profile of Korea as a PCB power country.
Established the Haedong Science and Culture Foundation and donated funds for science education and research
He also worked hard to return corporate profits to society. After established the Haedong Science and Culture Foundation in 1991, he donated a huge amount for many projects for the promotion of science and technology for over 20 years until he passed away. He paid over 2 billion won in scholarships and donated for the construction of academic information buildings for over 20 engineering colleges in Korea, to provide creative and cultural learning spaces. He also supported the research on science and technologies. He especially donated a large amount of 50 billion won for the construction of the AI Research Center of Seoul National University in 2010, surprising the world.
He received an Order of Industry, Stone Tower Medal in 1979, Order of Industry, Copper Tower Medal in 1990, and Order of Industry, Gold Tower Medal in 1999, recognized for his contributions via technological accomplishments in PCBs and exports. Also, in 2000, Daeduck Electronics won the Two Hundred Dollar Export Tower, showing their global profile as the PCB specialty company and the technological success as a global company once again.
Chairman Kim proved that an SME in a developing country can grow into a global specialty company by devoting himself to PCB technology development. He made a success story of Korean technological innovation from copying to creation. Moreover, he practiced noblesse oblige by returning corporate profits to society with a variety of donations, revealing his true entrepreneurship.
