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Busan Metropolitan City Hosts “WBGS 2025 International Symposium”

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Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) announced that it will host the “WBGS 2025 International Symposium” (The 9th International Symposium on Wide Bandgap Semiconductor 2025, hereinafter referred to as the symposium) today (20th) at 9:00 a.m. at SIGNIEL Busan in Haeundae-gu.

※ WBGS (Wide Bandgap Semiconductor): Next-generation compound semiconductors made of materials such as silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN), which, unlike conventional silicon (Si), offer superior characteristics including high voltage tolerance and heat resistance. They are widely used in electric vehicles due to their outstanding energy-saving benefits.

Celebrating its ninth year and held in Busan for nine consecutive years, the symposium is designed to share domestic and international trends in wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductor policies, technology development, and industrialization—the core of power semiconductors—and to establish an industry–academia–research cooperation network that fosters global collaboration.

The city expanded the symposium’s research scope in 2022 from silicon carbide (SiC) to also include gallium nitride (GaN) materials, adopting the current event title.
(Previous name: “SiC International Symposium,” changed to “WBGS International Symposium”)

Power semiconductors—the primary focus of the symposium—are essential components that convert, control, and distribute energy in electronic devices such as electric vehicles and smartphones, improving battery life and energy efficiency.

In particular, in the electric vehicle sector, interest is increasing both domestically and internationally as SiC- and GaN-based power semiconductors can reduce energy loss by up to 90 percent compared to silicon (Si)–based semiconductors.

This year’s symposium will be attended by 250 industry–academia–research participants and will feature research presentations, the appointment of members to the International Advisory Committee on Power Semiconductors, and a briefing on the outcomes of the 2025 International Conference on Silicon Carbide and Related Materials (ICSCRM).

During the research presentations, domestic and international experts in the wide bandgap semiconductor field will deliver keynote speeches on the latest technological trends, aimed at building international networks and narrowing technological gaps.

Speakers include:
• Chul Hong Park (Korea, Senior Vice President, Hyundai MOBIS)
• Shin-ichi Nishizawa (Japan, Professor, Kyushu University)
• Sergey Reshanov (Sweden, Doctor, RISE Research Institutes of Sweden)
• Hiroshi Yano (Japan, Professor, University of Tsukuba)
• Lili Zhao (China, Professor, Harbin Institute of Technology)

The city will appoint four invited foreign experts as members of the International Advisory Committee on Power Semiconductors and present certificates of appointment during the event.

The appointed experts are:
• Shin-ichi Nishizawa (Japan, Professor, Kyushu University)
• Sergey Reshanov (Sweden, Doctor, RISE Research Institutes of Sweden)
• Hiroshi Yano (Japan, Professor, University of Tsukuba)
• Lili Zhao (China, Professor, Harbin Institute of Technology)

During the briefing on the “International Conference on Silicon Carbide and Related Materials (ICSCRM) 2025,” the outcomes of the 22nd ICSCRM—held for the first time in Korea, in Busan, from September 14 to 19 at BEXCO—will be shared.

The conference brought together around 2,000 participants from industry, academia, and research institutions across 40 countries, offering academic sessions, keynote lectures, exhibitions, business consultations, and various other programs.
※ ICSCRM (International Conference on Silicon Carbide and Related Materials)

Dongseok Park, Director General of the City’s Advanced Industry Bureau, stated, “Busan is developing a mid- to long-term roadmap to build a power semiconductor ecosystem centered on its specialized power semiconductor cluster. Based on a strong cooperation system built among local industry, academia, and research institutions, Busan is pushing forward various support policies to become a global hub for power semiconductors.”

He added, “We hope this symposium will serve as a catalyst for Busan to take the lead in advancing the power semiconductor industry not only in Korea but also worldwide.”