With such novelty concept and revolutionary mind at that time, Korean Information and Communications Society (KICS) was established by a visionary professor named Cho Jung-hyun at Kwangwoon Univeristy in 1975, reaching a milestone of 35 years. Having thirty five years of long history and tradition, KICS has become one of the most recognized information and technology (IT) societies in the nation. KICS is embedded with the perseverance and dedications from past presidents, staff, and all members.
KICS has approximately 15,000 members and has been participated by around 200 other organizations and special member companies. Furthermore, KICS is very active in various academia fields such as holding numerous domestic and international symposiums, publishing KICS newspapers, domestic journals, and JCN international journals. Thus, they became a leading society around the world by establishing its international chapters in the U.S. and China.
New Hope with the New President
The society is led by its president Kim Eun-soo. Kim Eun-soo is a professor at Kwangwoon University in the Department of Electronics Engineering. President Kim assumed the position this year, which is exactly 30 years after he was first introduced to KICS in 1980. “I am filled with emotions when I look back at KICS’s last 35 years at Kwangwoon University, and I get the sense of responsibility from the dedications that has been shown by my predecessors.” Professor Kim was a visiting professor at California Institute of Technology in the Department of Electrical Engineering. In addition, several of his previous research laboratories are honored by the Ministry of Science and Technology of Korea and the Ministry of Communication and Information of Korea. Furthermore, he served as a president in various organizations, including “Society of 3D Broadcasting and Imaging (S3BI)”. Professor Kim also has 50 patents and published 500 papers in international journals and conferences, and he has dedicated himself to bring unmatched energy and uncanny experience to KICS.
The recent IT industry trend indicates that a new industry paradigm is forming with collaboration and convergence of the traditional industries and the environmental related IT industries, such as green IT, energy IT, and smart grid industries, rapidly making the mark in the market. Consequently, Professor Kim and KICS are putting a conscious effort to assume as a paragon for such a trend.
"We have plans to expand the domain of our activity in 2010 from traditional IT industries to more contemporary industries, such as IT convergence industries, green IT, and smart grid industries. For such endeavors, we KICS already found “3D Imagine Society”, RFID/USN Society, Bio IT Convergence Society, and Digital Cable Society in 2009. In 2010, we are going to add various fields such as Green IT Society and Smart Grid Society as well by establishing IT Convergence Societies that deal with broadcasting, shipbuilding, automotive, and construction industries,” said President Kim.
Symposiums
For the further advancement of IT and related convergence industries, KICS plans to hold various symposiums to provide new solutions and alternative ideas. For example, KICS has already started with "IMT-Advanced Technology Strategy Workshop" in January. In 2010, KICS is preparing to host about 10 different symposiums, such as Smart Grid, Green and Energy IT, Electric Automotive, LED Communication Convergence, and 3D Convergence Workshops.
Global Conscious
KICS is pushing forward for new international academic enterprises, such as CDMA International Conference (CIC), by which KICS promises to mature more globally. It has successfully hosted such international conferences in the past in which participants can freely share new ideas and policies on future IT convergence related industries or markets in the world. This is expected to be carried forward in October of this year.
KICS plans to institute new chapters in Vietnam, a country considered by many as the heart of South East Asia. With such addition in South East Asia and already established chapters in the U.S. and China, KICS can now undoubtedly make Korean IT technology and IT convergence technology recognized and appreciated throughout the world.
Cooperation
"We assure to provide our utmost efforts to continue and to pursue further cooperation that has started last year with Korea Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB) and Korea Association for Telecommunications Policies so that these two organizations can promote our country's broadcasting and communication industries to arise and advance," President Kim stated.
KICS has planted many seeds to harvest in the upcoming years and their endless effort is promised with the newly elected president Kim Eun-soo.
