IWSF – Ch 285

The Nobel Peace Prize tends to be controversial every year due to the subjective and ambiguous nature of the concept of “peace.” However, the Nobel Prize in Chemistry requires achievements and accomplishments recognized by both academia and the general public.

South Korea thrives on advanced products like semiconductors, displays, and smartphones, yet it hasn’t produced a single Nobel laureate in the scientific fields.

In fact, it’s not just that they haven’t produced laureates, they haven’t even properly nominated candidates. But this time, Professor Kim Ho-min has finally been named as a leading candidate!

– Oh! Nobel Prize in Chemistry! Is a laureate finally emerging from the science field?

– Isn’t Kang Jin-hoo the one who supported Professor Kim Ho-min anyway?

– He’s currently the director of the OTK Research Institute.

– If they both win the Nobel Prize this time, is OTK Company producing two laureates?

– Well done. Otaku Company! I’m proud that it’s a Korean company.

– Isn’t it an American company?

– What does that matter? What’s important is that a Korean is winning.

– I’m really looking forward to seeing what kind of interference Assemblywoman Lee Jung-hye will pull.

While some National Liberty Party lawmakers were up in arms about my Nobel Peace Prize nomination, they remained tight-lipped about Professor Kim Ho-min.

On the other hand, the New Politics Party issued a statement welcoming the nomination.

“The New Politics Party wishes Professor Kim Ho-min success in winning the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. This is an achievement that will go down in the history of Korean science and a remarkable feat proving the excellence of Korea’s basic science.”

The party leader, floor leader, and senior lawmakers barged into the research institute without notice, claiming they wanted to meet Professor Kim Ho-min.

Professor Kim Ho-min, caught off guard, posed for photos with them without knowing what was going on, and these photos plastered news outlets and newspapers.

It didn’t end there.

First-term lawmakers visited Korea University and the Seosung SB factory that produces OTK batteries as a group, and some lawmakers rushed to propose the “Act on Support and Investment for the Promotion of Basic Science,” also known as the “Kim Ho-min Act.”

These hastily drafted bills, cobbled together from various sources without gathering opinions from relevant parties, were bound to be poorly conceived. It’s also problematic that there are many doctors and lawyers among lawmakers, but no scientists.

The scientific community’s reaction was one of disbelief.

They ignored pleas for support when it was needed, but now they were making a fuss to capitalize on the issue, attaching Professor Kim Ho-min’s name to ridiculous laws.

Taek-gyu, watching the news, said,

“Seriously, what have they done to try to freeload off someone else’s success?”

“……”

This is why I dislike politicians. So, I turned away all the politicians who came to shake hands and take photos.

Domestic and foreign media outlets flocked to OTK Company. It’s not common for one company to produce two Nobel laureates at the same time.

Interview requests poured in, but both Professor Kim Ho-min and I declined. Team Leader Jung Gi-hong simply released an official press release.

The employees were also in a festive mood. Should I give them bonuses if we win the prizes?

Another place that was excited was Korea University. The reason, of course, was that both Professor Kim Ho-min and I are alumni of Korea University.

It’s not easy for one university to produce two Nobel laureates.

***

What’s the best institution for predicting various issues?

Not expert groups or research institutions, but online betting sites. They take bets on literally every topic imaginable.

Horse racing and cycle racing, of course, but also weather, sports, elections, voting results, and so on. This includes who will win the Nobel Prize.

Expert opinions are derived from cold, rational judgment, but they are also heavily influenced by external factors such as the institutions they belong to, sponsoring organizations, and government influence. However, on anonymous betting sites, there’s no need to worry about these things.

Taek-gyu nodded and said,

“Everyone lies. But no one lies when betting their own money.”

According to betting sites, the joint award of the Nobel Peace Prize to me, President Ronald, and Professor Mohan was almost certain, and Professor Kim Ho-min’s probability of winning was about 50 percent.

Taek-gyu and I headed to the OTK Research Institute. As we approached, what caught our eye were the banners hanging everywhere.

Some were put up by local politicians, and some were put up by ordinary citizens who had pooled their money.

“Is this country obsessed with the Nobel Prize because they haven’t received one?”

Thanks to the development of OTK batteries, Professor Kim Ho-min had become incredibly wealthy. He’s probably the richest professor in Korea.

I was curious to see how lavishly he was living with all the money he had made, but when I met him after a long time, he looked like a beggar.

His disheveled hair was greasy, and his clothes were so dirty that it was hard to tell when they had last been washed. His face was shiny with oil, as if he hadn’t washed it.

This was the same for the other researchers as well. They all looked exhausted, as if they hadn’t slept properly.

“I brought some pizza. Everyone, please eat while you work.”

I handed over a dozen boxes of M Pizza that I had loaded in the car, and the researchers devoured the pizza like zombies.

I said to Professor Kim Ho-min,

“Take some rest while you work.”

“If I rest when I want to rest, when do I research and when do I experiment?”

Professor Kim Ho-min was continuously improving the performance of OTK batteries in collaboration with the Seosung SB Research Institute, while also researching wireless charging technology.

“Wireless charging methods have been commercialized for smartphones and other electronic devices, but electric vehicles are still in the experimental stage. Wireless charging using magnetic induction is definitely possible when a car is parked in a parking space, but the problem is that the speed is not as fast as wired charging. To actually use it, we need to increase the efficiency to at least 90 percent of wired charging.”

Currently, people have to manually plug the charging cable into the charging port. The idea is to change this to a wireless charging method where charging starts automatically when the car is parked in a parking space.

Fully charged cars will automatically start and move to a regular parking space. Since cars will charge themselves when not in use, there’s no need to pay separate attention to charging.

Hearing this, it sounds like something from the distant future, but it’s not difficult to implement even with current technology. Efficiency is the only problem.

“The key is still the battery after all.”

OTK batteries are currently being produced as small batteries at the Seosung SB factory, and production of large batteries for automobiles has begun at the TS Company factory in the United States.

Seosung Electronics actively incorporated OTK batteries into their new smartphones and laptops. In a situation where the performance of electronic products has become standardized, long battery life is a sufficient marketing point.

Other companies such as Enple and MS have also requested battery supply, but with the current production volume, it’s difficult to even supply Seosung Electronics.

The situation was similar for large batteries for automobiles.

Originally, when TS Company was being built, the plan was to supply batteries to other automakers like Nikola’s Gigafactory once production stabilized.

But the situation has changed somewhat since then. OTK batteries have been developed, and electric vehicle factories are continuing to expand.

Unless sales plummet, we probably won’t have enough supply even for our own use.

Battery and electric vehicle companies have started developing their own technologies, but no matter how much they improve the performance of existing NCM batteries, it’s difficult to catch up with the performance of OTK batteries.

***

We sat in Professor Kim Ho-min’s lab.

It was still messy and cluttered. A folding bed was unfolded in one corner, suggesting he occasionally spent the night.

Professor Kim Ho-min made us instant coffee, and I took it and drank.

“You’ll probably win the Nobel Prize soon.”

Professor Kim Ho-min gave an awkward laugh.

“Nobel Prize, please. There are many people who have made greater achievements than me. There’s the Stafford Baer team that made research achievements in molecular chemistry this time, and Malcolm Gladwell who developed cryo-electron microscopy.”

“But wouldn’t you say developing a new material to replace cobalt is unmatched?”

The price of cobalt, which had been skyrocketing, has continued to plummet since the development of OTK batteries, and is now down more than 70 percent from its peak.

Hedge funds that speculated on cobalt prices suffered huge losses, and the funds for the Congolese rebels who controlled cobalt mines dried up, weakening their forces and reducing even civil wars.

So, some people jokingly said that he should be given the Peace Prize instead of the Chemistry Prize.

I said with conviction,

“You will definitely win it, Professor.”

Taek-gyu also nodded.

“Of course. It’s certain.”

Professor Kim Ho-min waved his hand.

“Stop saying things like that. If I don’t win after all this, I’ll be too embarrassed to even lift my head.”

The reason I’m so sure is because I saw the precognition, but I can’t tell him that directly.

Professor Kim Ho-min changed the subject.

“By the way, looking at this motor show, other companies’ technologies are also not to be underestimated.”

“I was a bit surprised too.”

Iber showcased near-complete autonomous driving technology, and Ford and GM also brought out new electric vehicles with significantly improved driving range and charging speed.

Although the methods are different, the ultimate goal is the same for everyone: the integration of transportation using driverless cars.

CarOS is also preparing to expand into ride-sharing and car-sharing. In electric vehicles, we will face off against Nikola and BID, etc., and in ride-sharing, Iber, Didi Chuxing, and Grab are competitors.

The side that wins in this competition will take the hegemony of the 21st century automobile industry.

Taek-gyu asked,

“But why have there been so few Nobel laureates in science from Korea?”

“Because they didn’t invest and support properly.”

Anything yields results in proportion to investment. Money doesn’t lie.

Unlike applied science, which can be used immediately, basic science takes a long time to grow and blossom. Therefore, it’s true that both the government and companies have neglected basic science so far.

Professor Kim Ho-min said,

“So, I’m planning to invest some of the money I’ve earned in basic science. It’s not that there are no proper scientists in Korea. It’s just that there’s no proper support system.”

Taek-gyu said,

“But if you support something like that, doesn’t it all get siphoned off by those above?”

Professor Kim Ho-min scratched his head.

“I can’t say no.”

Looking at the way professors embezzle research funds, it’s a sight to behold. They give salaries to master’s and doctoral students and later get it back in cash, or they even take their bankbooks and cards and withdraw the money themselves.

The reason why they can’t report this unfair treatment is because the lives of master’s and doctoral students depend on the professor’s word. And academia is very small.

Unless you’re planning to leave this field altogether, reporting a professor’s corruption is unimaginable.

He, who was in the field, would know this issue better than anyone else.

“So, I’m thinking of creating a foundation directly. So that we can select and support people who are truly motivated and passionate.”

Instead of thinking about living lavishly with the money he’s earned, he’s thinking about investing in the scientific community.

“I feel sorry for the chemistry students at Korea University.”

“Why?”

“Because I poached such a good professor.”

At my words, Professor Kim Ho-min coughed awkwardly, seemingly embarrassed.

“Ahem, ahem, I’m grateful if you think so.”

***

After coming to work and handling tasks, I received a phone call.

“Hello, Professor.”

Professor Kim Myoung-jun said with a laugh.

[I never thought my student would win the Nobel Peace Prize.]

“I haven’t even received it yet.”

[You’re going to get it anyway. The only competing candidate is the UNHCR, but they’ve already won it before. If they don’t give it to you, will Ronald stay still?]

“That’s true.”

According to an anonymous White House official, they’ve already made a space for the prize in the President’s office.

Why does this guy like the Nobel Prize so much?

[Recently, conservative groups also visited the school once. What was it called? The National Action Committee to Prevent Kang Jin-hoo’s Nobel Prize Award? They sent a lot of letters to the school too, and I’m diligently collecting them to send them to you.]

“……It’s okay. Just burn them.”

[How’s work these days?]

“Just working hard as usual.”

[You should come visit the school sometime. Have you forgotten about the lecture you promised to give before?]

I was already thinking of visiting him to repay the many favors I had received.

“When should I go?”

[Come visit on Monday. I’ll buy you coffee.]

“Okay, I will.”

A few days later, on Monday, I visited Korea University.

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