Nam Hyun-woo has worked as a staff writer at The Korea Times since 2013, mostly covering business and politics. He currently belongs to the Business Desk where he covers topics such as emerging tech, AI, ICT and Korea's chaebol community. Prior to joining the team, he was the paper's correspondent for the presidential office of Korea during the Yoon Suk Yeol and Moon Jae-in administrations.
LG Energy Solution courts battery experts in Chicago
LG Energy Solution CEO Kim Dong-myung speaks during the company's Battery Tech Conference in Chicago recruitment program, Saturday. Courtesy of LG Energy Solution
By Nam Hyun-woo
LG Energy Solution said Monday it held a conference in Chicago to share its future vision and attract battery technology experts.
The company hosted more than 40 researchers from leading U.S. universities and institutions at the Battery Tech Conference in Chicago on Saturday. The event served as both a technology showcase and a recruitment program, featuring LG Energy Solution CEO Kim Dong-myung and other senior executives.
"Today, batteries are no longer just a product. They have become critical infrastructure powering virtually every aspect of the global energy ecosystem," Kim said in his opening remarks. "We organized this event to meet talented individuals who will help shape the future of the energy industry alongside us."
Participants included master's and doctoral students, as well as researchers, from leading U.S. universities and research institutions, including Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, the University of California, Berkeley, the University of Chicago and Argonne National Laboratory.
They represented a diverse range of disciplines, including energy storage systems, next-generation batteries, artificial intelligence (AI) and physical AI, reflecting the company's broader effort to prepare for the future of the battery industry from multiple angles.
During the event, Kim shared his career journey from joining the company as a materials engineering Ph.D. to becoming its CEO. He also took part in a Q&A session, where he spoke about his experiences and growth as a researcher and industry leader.
“We are working to build LG Energy Solution into an energy platform company, not just a battery manufacturer," Kim said. "Achieving that vision will depend on talented innovators and researchers like you.”
The conference also featured a presentation by Yonsei University professor Lee Sang-yup of the Soft Energy Storage Lab, who shared the latest trends in battery research.
Participating researchers also held presentation sessions of their own, sharing their research areas and exchanging ideas with others.
“Battery Tech Conference is one of the company's key channels for attracting global research talent so that we can jointly shape the future of the battery industry,” an LG Energy Solution official said. "We will continue our efforts to secure top talent that can accelerate future growth and drive innovation.”