‘Best of the best’. This is a phrase that describes ROND(Research Officers for National Defense), a system that selects the best talent in Korea and conducts R & D related to defense. ROND, a system benchmarked in ‘Talipiet’, a military uniform of Israel, is a system of excellent science and technology personnel who conducts research on defense science during military service and creates new value through the experience of founding. Among them, we met graduates of KAIST electrical and electronic engineering department who is currently working in ADD(Agency for Defense Development) and conducted a interview with him.
Q. Hello, first can you briefly introduce yourself?
A. Hello, I am Kim Se-yeop who graduated from Electrical Engineering department of KAIST. I studied mainly semiconductor devices during my undergraduate years and I am still participating in research on the characterization of semiconductor devices in Prof. Choi, Yang-Gyu’s lab. I am currently serving at the ADD in June after eight weeks of military training.
Q. How did you know and apply for ROND?
A. In early 2014, I was preparing to study at a graduate school. At that time, I read one article about military service system called ROND while I was thinking about going to study abroad after finishing military service. ROND offers me both opportunities, military service and research, at once, so I decided to apply for ROND.
Q. What are the advantages of the ROND system?
A. We start our service at ADD, and all of our colleagues think ‘I was really good at choosing this system.’ I think the biggest advantage of ROND is that it can solve the obligation of defense through the research of defense science without breaking the career, and to design and prepare your future through it. Also, it is a great advantage to work in the support and interest of ADD, the largest government-funded research institute in Korea, which boasts a very high level of technology. Currently, all the research headquarters is in charge of the head of each field, the head of the team, the head teachers are receiving education, such a new wish to receive education about the former headquarters, there is no precedent. In addition to that, it is also good to have a new perspective by entering the institute. In my case, I initially applied for studying abroad. However, I wanted to find out the needs of people through education after admission to ADD and solve them directly with my own technology. In order to start the artificial intelligence related field that has recently attracted a great deal of attention, ADD’s artificial intelligence team will develop their skills through daily research during the military service and will prepare for business start-ups such as management and accounting after work.
Q. Do you have a special memorable episode after you pass as a candidate?
A. It is best to remember that I have been trained in a student military school for 8 weeks. During the training camps, they were getting tough training with motives, and they could not see each other and became more friendly. Especially, I can not forget the taste of the watermelon prepared by the instructors who were handed in the last 40km march. In addition, I was trained with other professional officers such as the Tongan Historical Museum and the Professors, and I remember that my motives were great commander, small commander and so on. I have been enjoying together since I went to Gangneung on the weekend using the ADD.
Q. How is life in the first stage ROND?
A. As mentioned before, we are currently receiving technical training. Since the end of the training, I will be placed in the research department and participate in the research for the development of the weapons system of our military. In terms of life, we basically follow ADD at 9 o’clock and 6 o’clock at work. You can freely use time and weekends after that. I usually meet my friends at that time, or spend my original research at KAIST. The residence can be freely chosen, but all of them are now using military apartments provided by the military. We can go in and out freely at low prices, and we are close to ADD, and we live in satisfaction.
Q. Finally, I would like to ask you a few tips for those who want to apply to ROND.
A. I would like to ask each of you to design the future first. You can start a business or get a job, go abroad, or go to a graduate school in Korea. If you think that the science and technology specialist will fit well in the future and will show synergy, I recommend you to support it unconditionally. Especially, I think it is better to become ROND as an electronic engineering degree. There are many application fields and many things that can be learned so that electronic department students can go to any department. Furthermore, it is best to learn about fields other than electronics. We hope that many of you will have the opportunity to grow even further. Thank you.
Thank you again for your interview with Kim Se-yeop.
Reporter Jo, Ha-Yeon : pioneerchy@kaist.ac.kr
