Mr. Joohwan Kim, you are in charge of the new Fraunhofer Representative Office in Seoul. How did the idea for the office come about?
Although the Fraunhofer Representative Office in Korea has existed since 2007, the official opening only took place in September 2008. The establishment of representative offices outside Germany is nothing new for the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. The first in the Asian region were founded in the mid-1990s. Today there are four of them – in China, Indonesia, Japan and, of course, in Korea. With this new office, Fraunhofer is pursuing its philosophy of globalization. After all, experience abroad counts not only for individuals, but also for businesses and service providers. Today Fraunhofer is networked with the world’s best research establishments. Above all, this benefits German industry, our most important customer in the area of contract research, because we can serve it better if we know its markets. The question about the location in Korea is quickly answered: the country is ideal for research organizations. Its industry is growing and the government invests 3% of gross domestic product a year in research and development. Additionally, Korea offers exceptionally well-trained and highly motivated engineers.
Fraunhofer has been working closely with Korean partners for many years. What are the most important fields and partnerships?
We are open for cooperation in all the technological fields covered by the 57 Fraunhofer Institutes, but we set a number of priorities in Korea. Information and communication was and remains by far the most popular area of cooperation, followed by materials research and life sciences. A new area with great potential is energy. Our most important industrial partner in Korea is Samsung Electronics. We conduct technology workshops every year and identify new areas of cooperation. When it comes to public-sector clients, the city of Seoul is our most important partner.
I’ve heard that a series of agreements on joint research projects have been concluded in recent months. What do they involve?
There have indeed been several new agreements. The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE), for example, has signed a memorandum of understanding with the city of Seoul on cooperation in the renewable energy field. Also, the Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems (IPMS) in Dresden and Sunic System, a leading manufacturer of vacuum deposition equipment for organic materials in Korea, want to enter into a strategic collaboration to improve the production technology used in the manufacture of organic light emitting diodes – OLEDs for short – and organic solar cells.
A major subject of German-Korean cooperation is known as Megacity. In which areas can Fraunhofer help Seoul become a green city?
On one hand, Seoul has commissioned Fraunhofer ISE in Freiburg with the construction of a representative building, the so-called Zero Energy House. Jointly with consortium partners, we want to contribute our know-how in the field of passive and active energy technology. On the other, Fraunhofer ISE will conduct a joint research project on the subject of Next Generation Solar Cells in cooperation with a Korean university and with funding from the city of Seoul. This research will focus on organic solar cells.
The Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics (IBP) is collaborating with Samsung Engineering & Construction in the field of energy efficiency. What is the concern here in Korea?
Today more than half of all Koreans live in high-rise housing blocks that were built in recent decades. By German standards, these buildings are badly insulated. The residents consume large amounts of energy to heat or cool their apartments.
Sound insulation is a controversial subject in Seoul. What contribution can Fraunhofer make here?
Acoustics specialists from Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics are working with Korean engineers on innovative insulation materials. For example, the institute has developed a new kind of insulation system based on a composite material that meets Korean requirements and simultaneously offers the potential for high-quality sound insulation in Germany. This is because some of the new regulations in Korea go far beyond the rules that currently apply in Germany.
One of the Seoul’s major projects is a citizen-friendly administration. What solutions can Germany offer?
In a memorandum of understanding, the Fraunhofer Institute for Open Communication Systems (FOKUS) and the National Information Agency (NIA) have agreed to develop a service for the Megacity that is meant to be similar to the planned European service hotline. In the future, citizens in Europe will be able to access a wide range of information and support in dealing with authorities – even including the complete processing of application procedures – through the 115 telephone number. Seoul would also like to offer its 20 million inhabitants this attractive service.
One last question: why were you chosen to head the new office in Seoul?
I was probably selected because I know both cultures. After studying electrical engineering in Korea, I went to Germany and learned German. Then I worked there for seven years – initially for a Korean firm in Frankfurt and then for the Premiere television company in Munich. Now building bridges between the two countries has become my main job.
