The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) held a commemorative event in celebration of the ‘17th Chemical Industry Day,’ during which 42 individuals who have made a significant contributions to the advancement of Korea’s chemical industry were officially recognized with government awards. Among the awardees, Professor BongSoo Kim of the Department of Chemistry at UNIST honored with the distinguished Minister’s Commendation for his exceptional research achievements.
Organized annually by the MOTIE, the awards serve to acknowledge individuals whose efforts have driven technological innovation and industrial growth within Korea’s chemical sector, thereby supporting the nation’s economic development.
Professor Kim has been at the forefront of developing innovative chemical materials through interdisciplinary education and research, with applications spanning various industries. His pioneering work has extended into industrial commercialization, earning recognition for its tangible technological impacts.
Since returning from his graduate studies in the United States in 2010, Professor Kim has dedicated himself to organic materials research aimed at practical electronic devices. His prolific career includes 169 publications and 56 patents to date.
Professor Kim has been at the forefront of developing innovative chemical materials through interdisciplinary education and research, with applications spanning various industries. His pioneering work has extended into industrial commercialization, earning recognition for its tangible technological impacts.
Professor BongSoo Kim (left) has been honored with the MOTIE Minister’s Commendation at the 2025 Chemical Industry Day for his exceptional research achievements.
Since returning from his graduate studies in the United States in 2010, Professor Kim has dedicated himself to organic electronic materials research aimed at practical electronic devices. His prolific career includes 169 published papers and 56 patents to date.
Among his notable achievements is the development of the world’s first nondestructive crosslinker that simultaneously enhances both the efficiency and stability of quantum dot display devices. This breakthrough technology has been successfully transferred to Samsung Electronics, demonstrating its industrial significance.
Furthermore, Professor Kim has achieved world-class performance in a range of devices, including organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), electrochemical transistors, organic photodiodes, organic solar cells, and perovskite solar cells. His research involves designing new conjugated polymers and small-molecule materials, broadening their potential applications, and advancing large-area and scalable manufacturing processes for commercialization. He also conducts detailed analyses of device performance mechanisms.
In addition to his research, Professor Kim actively mentors graduate and undergraduate students, providing tailored education in chemical material design aligned with industry needs. His efforts are cultivating the next generation of talented researchers.
He is an active participant in leading academic societies, including the Korean Chemical Society (KCS), the Polymer Society of Korea, the Korea Photovoltaic Society (KPVS), Materials Research Society, and the American Chemical Society. Recognized multiple times for his excellence in research, he collaborates with international research teams, continuously elevating UNIST’s global research stature.
Expressing his gratitude, Professor Kim said, “Thanks to UNIST’s excellent research environment and collaborative spirit, I have been able to achieve meaningful results.” He further added, “Moving forward, I will continue to focus on developing new materials to improve quality of life and contribute to the growth of our national industry.”
