LS Electric, KAIST open joint research center for next-generation power solutions

LS Electric has teamed up with the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) to develop innovative technologies aimed at leading the future power market.

LS Electric announced Monday that it held the inauguration ceremony of the LS Electric-KAIST Joint Research Center at the KAIST main campus in Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, on Sunday. The event was attended by Ahn Gil-young, LS Electric's executive vice president overseeing production, research and business development (R&BD), Kim Kyung-su, KAIST's vice president for external affairs, and researchers and officials from both institutions.

The two organizations plan to use the joint research center to overcome technical barriers in the global power market and co-develop high-value future power solutions capable of leading international markets. They also aim to strengthen researchers' capabilities, secure talented personnel early through customized recruitment, and build a sustainable talent pipeline.

The center will focus on five research areas: next-generation high-efficiency power conversion, direct current (DC) distribution, AI-integrated design optimization, reliability enhancement through fault diagnosis technology, and next-generation cooling technology. These fields are closely tied to AI data centers and renewable energy, involve high levels of technical complexity, and face intense global competition.

"If KAIST's research capabilities and LS Electric's world-class technology create synergy, we will be able to set a new standard in global power technology," said Ahn Gil-young, LS Electric's executive vice president. "Through industry-academia cooperation, we will secure a first-mover advantage in next-generation power solutions and further consolidate our leadership in the global power market."

Kim Kyung-su, KAIST's vice president for external affairs, said the university would spare no effort in supporting the center "so that it can become a hub for securing foundational technologies that lead the nation's future power industry and a cradle for nurturing globally critical talent."