Internationalisation: Prof. Dong-Choon Lee, a renowned and leading researcher in power electronics from South Korea, visits HTWK Leipzig
The Power Electronics Department at HTWK Leipzig welcomed a high-profile visitor from South Korea: Prof. Dong-Choon Lee from the Power Electronics & Machine Control Lab at Yeungnam University in Korea is a highly respected and well-connected researcher in the field of power electronics. Among other things, he has previously served as President of the Korean Institute of Power Electronics (KIPE) and as Editor-in-Chief of its renowned ‘Journal of Power Electronics’. During his trip to Germany, he visited the power electronics departments at three major universities and, somewhat unexpectedly, that of HTWK Leipzig as well. “It was a great pleasure for us, as he is a renowned researcher in the field and the KIPE is an important platform that not only connects specialist circles in South Korea but also organises major international conferences in the field of power electronics, including ECCE Asia (Energy Conversion Congress & Expo)”said Prof. Thomas Komma, Professor of Power Electronics and Electric Drive Systems at HTWK Leipzig.
Prof. Dong-Choon Lee became aware of HTWK Leipzig through the university’s publications and conference participation in the field of power electronics. Following discussions at RWTH Aachen University and the Technical University of Munich, he arrived in Messestadt on 30 July 2026. Here, he met with staff from the power electronics department at HTWK Leipzig to exchange experiences and get to know one another.
The research group focuses primarily on the design, construction and control of state-of-the-art topologies for AC/DC, DC/AC and DC/DC converters: The power ranges from a few watts for signal power supplies up to the double-digit kilowatt range for powering electric vehicles and electrical grids. A key focus is on the feasibility of producing the converters in near-series production. The research group’s expertise draws in particular on Prof. Komma’s more than 30 years of experience in applied research and development. Key research areas include both the optimisation of individual power electronic components and of entire converter systems.
Cooperation planned
Prof. Lee began by touring the laboratories at Wächterstraße 13 and viewed numerous experimental set-ups, including those relating to the noLimit research project, which focuses on bidirectional high-power charging in electric mobility. He was particularly impressed by the fundamental research, the depth of expertise and the available measurement equipment. He then took the time for an in-depth discussion, which covered, amongst other things, opportunities for collaboration.
Before his return journey (via TU Berlin), Lee expressed his hope that the HTWK research group would present their research findings at power electronics conferences such as ECCE Asia, and that they would collaborate on the German-Korean Symposium on Power Electronics. Within the German-Korean research network, leading researchers in power electronics from prominent German and South Korean universities exchange ideas with industry representatives on power electronics. HTWK Leipzig aims to use this platform to build up its international cooperation and networking with South Korea in the field of power electronics.
