Noh-kwon Kwak, chairman of HANMI Semiconductor, a semiconductor equipment industry godfather who has led the development of the Korean semiconductor industry, passed away on the 4th at the age of 85.

Noh-kwon Kwak, who was born in 1938, joined Motorola Korea in 1967 and established HANMI Mold (currently HANMI Semiconductor) in 1980 based on his 14 years of work experience. It is evaluated that it has helped to raise the technology of semiconductor equipment in Korea to a world-class level. Chairman Noh-kwon Kwak led the field for about 42 years until he recently stepped down from the management front.

With customer satisfaction as the top priority, he has dedicated his entire life to providing differentiated products and services, laying the foundation for localization of semiconductor equipment and contributing to national development as a first-generation Korean semiconductor equipment entrepreneur. “VISION PLACEMENT,” developed by Chairman Noh-kwon Kwak in 1998, has been the world’s No.1 market share since 2004 to the present. Along with micro SAW, EMI Shield and BONDER, HANMI Semiconductor’s representative equipment, it is supplying to 320 semiconductor companies worldwide.

It recently developed DUAL TC BONDER, a HBM (High-bandwidth memory) essential process equipment for artificial intelligence semiconductors, leading to an increase in corporate value. With a market capitalization of more than 4.6 billion dollars, it has become the No.1 company by market capitalization in Korean semiconductor equipment industry.

Chairman Noh-kwon Kwak was selected as a meritorious person for the development of excellent capital goods in 2013 and received the Gold Tower Order of Industrial Service Merit, the highest honor for an entrepreneur. From 1997 to the present, he has worked hard to fulfill his usual social responsibilities by supporting medical support, scholarship projects and education projects for vulnerable children.

In 1991, he served as vice chairman of the Korea Semiconductor Industry Association, helping to raise the status of the semiconductor industry and establish itself as the most important industry leading the Republic of Korea. Condolences will be available from 2 p.m. on the 4th. The funeral will be held by HANMI Semiconductor company. The mortuary is Room 17 of the funeral hall in Samsung Seoul hospital. The coffin will be borne out on 6th.