The Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute (KERI) has been recognized for its outstanding achievements in the field of online communication.

The Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute announced on the 12th that it was recently selected as the best institution in the research institute category of the '2023 Korea SNS Awards'.

KERI, which has the most social media channels (YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Naver Blog/Post/TV) among government-funded research institutes in the science and technology sector, is striving to shed its image as a difficult and rigid national research institute and approach the public in a friendly manner by utilizing its cute mascots, 'Kokkomakeri', 'Totoka', and 'Bobaehalbae'.

In particular, based on the slogan "Jjirit Jjirit" (meaning "Let's properly understand electricity and use it wisely"), it provides content such as introductions to the latest research achievements, a general knowledge corner on electricity, and measures to lower the barrier to entry for researchers.

Research results utilize various methods, such as 3D videos, webtoons, and researcher talk shows, to easily introduce specialized technologies that may be somewhat difficult for the general public. In particular, this year captured both timeliness and impact by collaborating with famous creators to explain the recently garnered-up phenomenon of superconductivity in an entertaining way.

In the field of general electrical knowledge, a new YouTube corner called 'Electrical Assumptions' was created to provide easy answers to questions that everyone is usually curious about, such as whether electricity can be generated with electric eels, why Korea uses 220V unlike the U.S. and Japan, how to prevent electric shock accidents, and how submarines can move underwater.

In addition, to strengthen contact with the public, the institute provided interesting experimental content that could only be done at the institute, such as grilling raw chicken with artificial lightning to celebrate the Dog Days of Summer, putting hair into liquid nitrogen at -196 degrees, and engraving a human face on a power semiconductor. Furthermore, KERI employee vlogs and Children's Day special interviews also received a lot of attention, significantly raising the institute's awareness and favorability.

Thanks to these efforts, KERI’s social media channels have grown quantitatively and qualitatively every year with a total of approximately 30,000 regular fans (followers), and this year, they have once again confirmed their significant presence by being selected as the best institution at the 'Korea Social Media Awards'.

"While the research institute's primary role is technology development, it is also extremely important to effectively communicate these achievements to gain the public's empathy and support," said KERI President Kim Nam-kyun. "We will do our best to ensure that when people need general knowledge and information related to electricity, they think of KERI's social media first and come to us."

Meanwhile, the 'Korea SNS Awards,' marking its 13th year, is an awards ceremony hosted by the Korea Social Content Promotion Association and sponsored by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Korea Influencer Industry Association. Awards are presented to companies and institutions that have successfully communicated with the public through high-quality content, targeting public institutions, local governments, and businesses nationwide.