- Plans to upgrade integrated grid analysis platform, accelerate DX and AX innovation

- Expanding 8 GVA test infrastructure, strengthening regional industry-academia cooperation

Kang Sang-hee delivers his inaugural address at the Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute in Changwon on Thursday. [Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute]
Kang Sang-hee delivers his inaugural address at the Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute in Changwon on Thursday. [Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute]

"As energy transition accelerates and uncertainty in power supply grows, we will strengthen the nation's integrated grid analysis capabilities and build KERI into a core think tank supporting national power policy."

Kang Sang-hee was inaugurated Thursday as the 16th president of the Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute, known as KERI, and officially began his tenure.

"In this era of sweeping energy transition and turbulence in power supply and demand, KERI must stand firmly at the center of technology and power policy as an objective and trusted independent research institution," Kang said.

He outlined three management priorities to guide the institute: tasks it must do well, tasks it is well-positioned to do, and tasks it must do even better.

On the first front, KERI will upgrade its national power grid integrated analysis platform to strengthen its policy support function. The institute will also accelerate smart grid technology innovation through digital transformation and AI-driven transformation.

KERI plans to secure key strategic technologies in electric medical devices, power semiconductors, electric mobility and secondary batteries, while expanding international joint research with major partners in Europe, North America and China. To bolster the competitiveness of the domestic power equipment industry, the institute also plans to expand its large-scale test infrastructure to 8 gigavolt-amperes.

Kang said the government's planned abolition of the project-based system for government-funded research institutes — a funding regime that has long fragmented research focus — would be used as an opportunity to deepen researcher engagement. The institute intends to establish an evaluation system with greater autonomy and a rational compensation structure to ensure the continuity of high-quality research.

KERI will also build regional industry-academia cooperation platforms tailored to local characteristics, centered on its main campus in Changwon and regional offices in Ansan, Uiwang and Gwangju.

"I will personally lead the charge so that our technology can set the global standard, drawing on the networks I have built across academia and industry," Kang said.

Meanwhile, Kang graduated from Seoul National University with a degree in electrical engineering and earned his master's and doctoral degrees from the same institution. Appointed a professor at Myongji University in 1994, he spent more than 30 years researching power system automation and protection. He previously served as director of the Korea Electric Power Corporation's energy hub university cluster project.


nbgkoo@heraldcorp.com