As part of efforts to strengthen its competitiveness in the future AI infrastructure market, SK hynix created the AI Infra division and the affiliated HBM¹ Business department at the end of 2023. In a key appointment within HBM Business, Vice President Unoh Kwon became head of HBM Process Integration (PI).

While working as a DRAM development research fellow in 2022, Kwon broke new ground by becoming the first to apply the HKMG² process to the mobile DRAM LPDDR, and this led to the successful development of the ultra-high-speed and low-power LPDDR5X and LPDDR5T. In recognition of his contributions, Kwon was awarded the SUPEX Award³ in 2023.

¹High Bandwidth Memory (HBM): A high-value, high-performance product that revolutionizes data processing speeds by connecting multiple DRAM chips with through-silicon via (TSV). There are five generations of HBM, starting with the original HBM and followed by HBM2, HBM2E, HBM3, and the latest HBM3E—an extended version of HBM3. SK hynix is the first in the world to begin mass production of HBM3E.
²High-K metal gate (HKMG): A next-generation process that uses a material with a high dielectric constant (K) as an insulating film inside the DRAM transistor to prevent leakage current and improve capacitance. It enables faster speeds while reducing power consumption.
³SUPEX Award: As the most prestigious award within SK Group that carries the meaning “super excellent,” it recognizes members who have successfully realized innovations by not being afraid to take on new challenges.

With his strong technical background, Kwon has been tasked with finishing the future roadmap for the company’s HBM technology. As part of the newsroom’s series focusing on new executive members at SK hynix, Kwon spoke about his vision to develop the next generation of HBM technology and his strategies for the AI era.

Improving Development Efficiency Through HBM-Focused, Integrated HBM Business Department

Kwon anticipates the HBM Business department will bring greater efficiency while enhancing employees’ technical capabilities

With the continuous evolution of AI, demand has also rapidly increased for HBM—a representative memory product for the technology. “I feel a great sense of pride and responsibility to take on this role when there are high expectations for SK hynix’s HBM products,” said Kwon. “With the combined experience and challenging spirit of employees who developed the world’s best-performing HBM, we will do our best to achieve the next generation of technological innovations.”

In a move to improve the efficiency and synergy of HBM production from the development phase to the manufacturing and commercialization stages, SK hynix merged the various departments in charge of these processes into HBM Business. This rare, product-focused reorganization demonstrates the company’s commitment to maintaining its HBM leadership.

Kwon cites the HBM Business department’s high efficiency as its biggest strength. By shortening the decision-making process at the beginning of product development, members can quickly coordinate among themselves and execute projects. Furthermore, as the development team can hear feedback directly from customers, the team can reflect customer values during product development.

“Possessing the united goal of advancing HBM, our department has created an environment where we can focus on our technical capabilities and demonstrate them to the fullest,” Kwon stated. “Consequently, our members have been able to take a more goal-orientated view. What’s more, I can now also analyze what is needed for our technology to grow from a business perspective, and I plan to use this skill to contribute significantly to our efforts.”

Harnessing Unique Semiconductor Fundamental Technology to Revolutionize HBM

Kwon plans to use his previous experience in system semiconductors to advance HBM technology

When asked about the biggest achievement of his career, Kwon chose the application of the HKMG process to LPDDR in 2022. The HKMG process ranks as one of the most significant innovations in semiconductor fundamental technology⁴. Although it was applied early on in system semiconductors, HKMG was not easy to implement in mobile DRAM semiconductor memories where the leakage current needs to be controlled to minimize power consumption.

⁴Fundamental technology: A key technology used for implementing changes and improvements to product characteristics.

Using his past experience at a different global tech company where he successfully applied the HKMG process in system semiconductors, Kwon was once again able to break the technical barriers in mobile DRAM. “It meant a lot to be a part of collective efforts with SK hynix members to make the technological breakthrough of changing the paradigm of memory circuit structures,” Kwon exclaimed.

“As a product featuring advanced and complex technology, HBM can be said to be the most technologically intensive DRAM around,” he explained. “HBM is also the main reason I decided to take on the challenge of shifting my focus from system semiconductors to semiconductor memories.” Fascinated by HBM’s ability to spark the convergence of systems and memory, Kwon now plans to concentrate all his technical skills for another breakthrough.

“I expected that there would come a time when performance improvements would go beyond established scaling and reach technological advancements deriving from the convergence of structures, devices, and processes between system semiconductors and semiconductor memories,” Kwon said. “As I predicted that there would be new opportunities for innovation driven by semiconductor memories, I was convinced that HBM was the beginning of this technological revolution. That is why I am more committed than ever to leverage my experiences to create bigger synergies for SK hynix’s HBM technology.”

Confidently Taking on Unforeseen Challenges During the AI era

Kwon believes that adaptability and a challenging spirit will bring innovations in the AI era

Commenting on the outlook of the HBM market, Kwon said that “HBM will become specialized and customized to reflect the values sought by customers.” He stressed that in addition to excellent functional capabilities, the next generation of HBM will need to work as a specialty product differentiated for each customer and have a role that goes beyond memory.

“As we enter the AI era, we are witnessing an unprecedented level of rapid change,” Kwon said. “It is now more important than ever to stay ahead of the curve and react flexibly to changes. To maintain our technological leadership and to lead in the AI era, HBM PI is working hard to develop technologies which will lead to the innovation of fundamental technologies and rapid commercialization of products. We are also actively engaging and collaborating with customers and external partners.”

Kwon also emphasized the importance of not only adapting to changes but also of broadening one’s horizons and taking on challenges to achieve innovations.

“In the future, AI memory will go beyond its current focus on data centers to expand into areas that meet certain purposes. These include ASICs⁵ with improved performance and efficiency or on-device solutions that are optimized for customers’ products,” Kwon claimed. “HBM will not be the only AI memory in use as various types of DRAMs will also become essential memory for AI. Additionally, semiconductor devices will have to be developed to meet various required conditions including traditional characteristics. In a period of such drastic change, it is important to broaden our horizons to create essential synergies by fusing various technologies together, proactively challenge ourselves, and use our setbacks to get up and test ourselves again.”  

⁵Application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC): Also known as a custom semiconductor, an ASIC is an integrated circuit designed for a specific purpose.

In closing, Kwon encouraged SK hynix employees to take pride in leading important changes in the AI era.

“There have been many technological breakthroughs in history, but the changes brought on by AI are bigger and greater than ever,” he said. “SK hynix is driving these significant shifts with its industry-leading technological competitiveness. All of our members have an important role in the AI era, and I will continue to strengthen HBM’s capabilities with a great sense of pride and responsibility.”

<Other articles from this series>

New Leadership Spotlight: SK hynix’s First Female Research Fellow, Vice President Oh Haesoon, on Advancing NAND Flash

New Leadership Spotlight: SK hynix’s Youngest Exec, Lee Donghun, Discusses Spearheading NAND Flash Development

New Leadership Spotlight: Vice President Kitae Kim, Head of HBM Sales & Marketing, on Future-Proofing HBM’s Market Leadership

New Leadership Spotlight: Vice President Hoyoung Son Targets SK hynix’s Evolution Into Total AI Memory Provider Through Advanced Packaging Tech

Leadership Spotlight: Deoksin Kil, Head of Material Development, On Achieving Tech Innovation Through Advanced Materials

New Leadership Spotlight: Global RTC Head Jaeyun Yi Aims to Present a New Paradigm for the Future of Semiconductors

New Leadership Spotlight: SK hynix Execs Join Roundtable to Discuss Company’s AI Memory Leadership & Future Market Trends

The post New Leadership Spotlight: Head of HBM PI Unoh Kwon Aims to Finish SK hynix’s HBM Roadmap & Lead in the AI Era first appeared on SK hynix Newsroom.

The SK hynix Newsroom is launching a series of interviews with the Top Team—the executives in charge of the company’s major business divisions. This series will provide insights into the business strategies, organizational culture, and more promoted by the leaders to achieve the company’s vision. The first interview is with Justin Kim, president and head of the new AI Infra division.

SK hynix—the world’s no.1 HBM provider. It took a lot of hard work from many people for the company to reach this position. The efforts of various departments, including developers striving to create high-performance products, engineers working day and night to improve yields, and business units strategizing to strengthen profitability, were combined to reach this goal.

One executive who played a key role in this process is Justin Kim. The strategist nimbly responded to global market changes and worked closely with customers to secure HBM market leadership. In January 2024, he became president and head of the new AI Infra division after helping SK hynix establish itself as the global leading AI memory company.

As head of the new division as well as Global Sales & Marketing (GSM), Kim is ready to ensure SK hynix continues to lead the global AI memory market. In a wide-ranging interview, Kim discusses how innovation, his industry expertise, and collaborations all played a part in the company’s journey to the pinnacle of the sector.

Breaking Free from Inertia to Achieve Innovation in the AI Age

New business divisions are akin to road signs as their goals signal a company’s direction. In the case of AI Infra, which oversees the HBM¹ business and identifies future businesses, it shows that SK hynix’s direction is centered on AI memory.

¹High Bandwidth Memory (HBM): A high-value, high-performance product that possesses much higher data processing speeds compared to existing DRAMs by vertically connecting multiple DRAMs with through-silicon via (TSV). There are five generations of HBM, starting with the original HBM and followed by HBM2, HBM2E, HBM3, and HBM3E—an extended version of HBM3.

Kim underlines the importance of innovation to ensure SK hynix continues to lead the AI memory market

“We have created a new division to expand SK hynix’s leadership in the AI infrastructure² market,” he said. “AI Infra consists of GSM which is responsible for global business, the HBM Business Unit which brings together our HBM capabilities, and Memory System Research (MSR) which is in charge of pathfinding initiatives to explore future products and markets beyond HBM.”

²AI infrastructure: The hardware and software required to build, test, learn, and deploy AI-based applications and services.

The leaders and members of AI Infra collaborate with other SK hynix departments and divisions to plan AI memory and next-generation products, and proactively lead the AI memory market through sales. Specifically, SK hynix supplies specialty products tailored to customer needs, develops optimal memory by analyzing LLMs³, and proposes advanced memory solutions by refining the concept of custom HBM.

³Large Language Model (LLM): A deep learning algorithm that can comprehend and generate natural language using very large datasets.

“SK hynix is at the forefront of the AI business, which gives me a greater sense of responsibility. This is why I want to look at the business environment from a variety of perspectives and provide clear goals and visions for our employees so that we can make the best decisions,” he said.

It is as important to talk about how to reach a goal as it is to discuss the goal itself. In this respect, Kim emphasizes the importance of innovating to break free from inertia. Summing up this approach, Kim claims if there is something to throw away, it should be immediately discarded so employees can focus on issues that can create great value.

“In an environment where the market is rapidly changing around AI, we can’t achieve anything if we keep doing things the same way. We need to be flexible to make changes and identify and support customer needs,” he said.

“If we innovate to overcome inertia, efficiently reorganize work structures, and clearly identify customer needs and pain points, we can move the AI memory market in our favor. I expect our employees to cut down on unnecessary work and always think outside the box to innovate.”

Continuing 33 Years of Proven Results in AI Infra

Over the years, Kim has led the GSM department and demonstrated firsthand how innovation occurs when people break free from inertia. Some of his most notable achievements include developing the Memory Market Index (MMI), a market forecasting tool, and solidifying SK hynix’s position in the AI memory market by nimbly responding to HBM demand.

Kim’s market forecasting tool played a key role in enabling SK hynix to achieve HBM market dominance

“Historically, market forecasting was done sporadically across multiple departments, including development, manufacturing, purchasing, sales, and marketing, resulting in poor forecasting results,” he said. “As simply repeating the same process didn’t bring about a different outcome, I established a one-team structure and efficiently deployed company resources. This strengthened our ability to respond quickly to market changes and operational issues. Now we can stay more than six months ahead of the curve and respond to HBM demand in a timely manner.”

Achieving HBM market dominance was not only a result of introducing MMI, as Kim’s ability to form strategic partnerships and organizational collaboration also played key roles.

“We have established strong relationships with leading companies in the AI market,” he said. “By earning their trust and full cooperation, we were able to secure a stable demand of HBM. The collaboration of HBM-related departments as a team has allowed us to provide the best products, satisfying our customers and securing the number one market share.”

Kim was also influential in advancing DDR5 and other solutions. His early collaborations with server customers paved the way for SK hynix to take the top spot in the high-performance DDR5 market. In addition, Kim helped the company achieve the memory industry’s first 2023 quarterly turnaround in the fourth quarter by gaining an edge in the average selling price (ASP) of DRAM.

Armed with these experiences, Kim will now lead AI Infra and accelerate SK hynix’s efforts to remain the world’s leading AI memory provider.

“Strategic partnerships based on trust are crucial for our response to future markets. With such partnerships, we will quickly provide our customers with the products they want at the right time,” he said.

“In the short term, we will maximize our market dominance through our outstanding technology. We will also engage with our customers, particularly those that are growing rapidly, to identify and address their pain points, which will boost our profitability. In the long run, we will develop the next generation of memory solutions and ensure our technology and products become the market standard.”

Solidifying AI Leadership as a Trusted Strategist

Anticipation is building for Kim’s blueprint for the new division as a result of his significant expertise and leadership skills accrued during 33 years in the industry.

After joining SK hynix’s semiconductor fab production team in February 1991, he has worked in various departments. In 2017, he became Sales Lead of the GSM department where he helped to expand the company’s global market share. In particular, he devoted his time to securing SK hynix’s MCP⁴ market share in Greater China.

Since 2021, he has served as the head of both GSM and SK hynix America, where he played a crucial role in expanding the company’s U.S. presence. As such, Kim has secured market competitiveness across the DRAM and NAND sectors with his quick thinking and decisive execution. When asked about his secret, Kim cites communication and understanding.

⁴Multi Chip Package (MCP): Two or more chips stacked vertically to form a single package, such as mobile DRAM and NAND flash products stacked in a single package for smartphones.

Communication, grit, and ambition are key to business success, according to Kim

“We were able to make decisions and move faster than anyone else because we were in close contact with our customers and understood our situation perfectly. We went into the market with our senses sharpened,” he said.

Kim stressed that leaders need to take the initiative to achieve goals and bring everyone together as a team. He also stressed that ambition and grit play a big role in finding new customers and deepening professional relationships. They are traits he encourages SK hynix employees to embrace as well.

“Facing any challenge with ambition and grit, and never giving up, will earn you the trust of your customers and deliver valuable results,” he added. “I hope our staff will take this to heart and do their best to achieve their goals.”

Concluding the interview, Kim underlined his strong commitment to achieving the company’s future growth.

Kim claims AI Infra will play a key role in solidifying SK hynix’s market leadership going forward

“We will continue to maximize the value of our products by strengthening communication and partnerships so that SK hynix is the first AI memory company that comes to people’s minds,” he said. “AI Infra will help SK hynix cement its position as the global no. 1 AI memory provider.”

The post Top Team Insights: “Overcome Inertia With Innovation”, AI Infra Head Justin Kim’s Strategy in the AI Era first appeared on SK hynix Newsroom.