South Korea's Ministry of Science and ICT and the Korea Industrial Technology Association selected Yoon Seong-su, a managing director at LG Energy Solution, and Park Young-gu, CEO of Sewha ES, as winners of the January Korea Engineer Award.

The Korea Engineer Award is a monthly prize that selects engineers who make significant contributions in the field to encourage technological innovation in industry and foster a culture that values engineers. Winners receive a deputy prime minister's prize, held by the science minister, and 5 million won in prize money.

LG Energy Solution operates 3 in-house research centers recognized by the science ministry. It is participating in government research and development for advanced energy storage technology and next-generation battery development.

Yoon, who is with LG Energy Solution's technology research institute, was recognized for contributing to lower manufacturing costs for LFP (lithium iron phosphate) batteries and securing competitiveness in energy storage system technology through development of solvent-free dry electrode manufacturing technology.

Yoon said he would do his best to lead the domestic battery industry through continuous technological innovation based on his research and development experience. He added that he was grateful to colleagues who worked together.

Park has devoted himself to research in the environmental industry for about 25 years. Sewha ES strengthened its capability to carry out innovation activities by actively conducting government R&D projects after its in-house research center was recognized by the science ministry in 2017.

Park was selected as a winner for implementing an eco-friendly technology that can produce lithium compound materials by using byproducts from the secondary battery cathode materials industry and waste from the semiconductor industry.

Park said he found it meaningful to be able to apply world-class eco-friendly resource circulation technology to South Korea's secondary battery industry. He added he would continue innovation and challenges to strengthen competitiveness in key industries.