South Korea's Ministry of Science and ICT and the Korea Industrial Technology Association (KOITA) on Sunday named LG Electronics senior researcher Choi Seok-ho (최석호) and JM JECO CEO Choi Yoon-hwa (최윤화) as winners of the August 2026 Korea Engineer Award.

Choi Seok-ho was recognised for boosting airflow performance and energy efficiency by applying biomimetic fluid-control design to fans used in HVAC home appliances such as air conditioners and air purifiers.

He applied humpback whale fin tubercles and scallop shell ridge structures to the fan surface to curb air detaching from the surface or spinning idly in the direction of rotation. That raised maximum airflow by 20 percent and cut power consumption by 20 percent.

Choi said, "Based on innovative fluid technology, I will continue to enhance the competitiveness of a range of HVAC products and do my best to promote the use of domestic products in the newly growing data centre cooling market."

Choi Yoon-hwa was recognised for developing and commercialising high-efficiency power semiconductor packaging technology using copper conductors.

Conventional power semiconductors mainly use thin wires to connect chips and substrates, but heat dissipation performance has been limited. Choi connected chips and substrates with a copper conductor, or "clip," widening the area through which heat escapes.

That cut electrical resistivity by about 60 percent and raised thermal conductivity by about 50 percent compared with competitors' products. The technology is being supplied to global power semiconductor companies including Texas Instruments (TI), UTAC, Amkor and onsemi. JM JECO achieved $10 million in exports last year.

Choi said, "Based on research capabilities, we have been able to grow into a leading company in the power semiconductor field, and we will continue to strengthen competitiveness in the global market by establishing a supply chain for domestically produced power semiconductors."

The Korea Engineer Award selects engineers who contribute to technological innovation in industrial settings. Winners receive the science minister's award and 5 million won in prize money.