Learning from the Masters of Samsung: Part 1 Young-Seog Kang

Not everyone gets to be a ‘Master.’ You need to be eminently skilled and knowledgeable in a certain field. It is a title of honor that never comes easily, especially at Samsung. There are, however, masters working at Samsung Electronics who have committed their entire lives to honing their skills in one area. So we decided to learn from their insights, and we would like to invite you to join us as well.

First, we will talk to Master Young-Seog Kang, from the Memory Photo Technology Team, on this first episode. Master Kang has been responsible for photo process facilities and technology for 17 years now in Memory Photo Technology Team.

Lesson #1: Be Responsible

Ever since 1977, when he joined Samsung Electronics, Master Gang has been boosting the productivity and performance of the semi-conductor photo process by employing the latest scanner technology. Master Gang has unrivalled experience and knowledge in his field. Looking back, he says that it was the insatiable yearning for learning and hard work that got him to where he is today.

“When I first came to Samsung Electronics, things like the semi-conductor or the photo process sounded like alien languages to me. It was quite challenging to understand a process that I had never experienced before. The more I studied the process, the more complex I found it. On top of this, colleagues in my team were counting on me, as I had joined them as a senior engineer with doctor’s degree. So I couldn’t rest and stop studying. I think I studied harder than anyone else.” said Master Young-Seog Kang full with passion.

To him, the past 17 years have been full of new and exciting challenges and struggles but Master Gang will never forget that it is his responsibility to take the facility’s performance to the next level. He is responsible for addressing any troubles the facility may have because the product quality depends on him.

Lesson #2 Be Reasonable

Master Gang is known as a leader who delegates a lot of responsibilities to his team members. Once a common goal is set, he comes up with the shortest possible route to reach the goal and keeps encouraging his team members.

Master Kang stated, “When a leader sets a goal and tells the team about their tasks, one cannot expect them to achieve something physically impossible because that would compromise the teamwork. It is for this reason that I first try to weigh what’s achievable and what isn’t; I ensure that we have a realistically attainable target. There is no point in asking them for more than what they could do.” 

“I don’t know exactly when but I have recently begun to wonder what ‘achievable’ might be and consider my values defined by my own standard. There could be other ways and solutions but I just can’t see them, I have confined myself by my own concept of limitations. So I keep challenging my team of engineers to have a broader vision and overcome what they perceive to be limitations.” added Master Kang.

Lesson #3 Be Understanding

The title ‘master’ comes with pride and responsibility, Master Gang says. He earned the honor earlier than other junior researchers by prioritizing team’s synergy and freeing his team from the confinement of their own knowledge with the most current technology and solutions.

To team members with no idea what do when they hit a dead end, Master Gang offers his counsel, and for others who have just embarked upon a long career path, he tells them to prepare for every eventuality.

Lesson #4 Be Prepared

He didn’t earn a degree related to semi-conductors but he landed a job in Device Soulution of Samsung Electronics. Right after his recruitment, he was transferred to the photo process where he built upon his expertise for 17 years. Master Gang says that none of this happened by chance.

“I like to talk about ‘chance’ to my team engineers. I tell them that I come this far because every time there was an opportunity I was prepared to grab it. We come across many chances in our lifetimes but to take the chance you must be fully ready for it. If you are not ready, the chance will pass you by and you will not even realize that there was an opportunity.” said Master Kang with confidence. 

Busy with work, day and night, Master Gang brings together the Memory Photo Technology Team and encourages them to work toward solutions. Through this cooperation they can look at the problem with a wider perspective and eventually find the answer, he says, and any obstacles that stand in the road ahead of this team will surely be overcome.

Before concluding today’s episode, here is a quote from a master who trod on the path before us, “Limitations only exist in our minds. To break down those limitations is to do your job well.”