Q. It's a pleasure to meet you. Professor John Lonnidis of
Elsevier and Professor John Lonnidis of Stanford University in the U.S.
and Prof. John Ronnidis of Stanford University in the U.S., publish the 'World's Top 2% Researchers' list every year
Prof. Yu Il-sun has been selected as one of the top 2% of the world's top researchers
in the top 2% of the world's top researchers in 2023. What are your impressions?

A. In 2022, when I moved from Sunchonhyang University to Kookmin University as a professor of information security and cryptography, I thought, 'I want to make a meaningful difference'. Since 2020, when the list of the world's top 2% of researchers was first published, I have been on the list every year, but this year, I am personally more pleased because it is my achievement as a professor at Kookmin University. It is a great honor for a researcher to be cited in someone else's paper and become the basis for new research. Especially, a paper is not a solo effort, but a collaborative achievement with fellow students. I remember writing a lot of papers with great students and colleagues at Sunchunhyang University in 2016, and I believe that my research was cited in other papers and became the basis for me to be named in the top 2% of the world's top researchers. The people I worked with at the time are now making an impact as professors at universities around the world. It makes me resolve to continue to make meaningful research achievements with my fellow professors and students at Kookmin University and grow together. I look forward to what else our research, hard work, and passion will produce.

Q. I am currently working in the Mobile Internet Security Lab in the Department of Information Security and Cryptography
of the Department of Information Security and Cryptography.
You said that new cryptosystems are needed to prepare for the era of quantum-resistant cryptography.
for the quantum-resistant cryptography era. Please tell us about the new cryptosystems that will change in the future and the research you are doing
and the research you are doing in this regard.

A. In the Mobile Internet Security Lab, we are conducting research on protecting systems from external attackers, analyzing vulnerabilities that may occur in the wired and wireless sections of 5G, and securing mobile networks. With the advent of quantum computing technology, the issue of security has also emerged as a top concern, as 'information security' must be pre-existing in order to safely utilize rapidly evolving technologies. Although still in the development stage, quantum computers will overwhelmingly outperform conventional computers in computational power. Cryptographic algorithms that take hundreds of years to break with conventional computers could be cracked in a matter of hours in the quantum computing world, causing major disruptions in finance, national security, and industry. In response to these concerns, research is underway around the world to develop quantum-resistant cryptography (PQC) that is safe from hacking using quantum computers. Kookmin University's Department of Information Security and Cryptography is one of the best in Korea in the field of quantum-resistant cryptography. In Korea, the standardization of quantum-resistant encryption is actively underway, and in the 'Quantum-resistant Encryption National Competition (KpqC Competition)' sponsored by the National Intelligence Service and the National Security Technology Research Institute, the algorithm of Professor Kim Dong-chan's team in the Department of Information Security and Cryptography achieved significant results, passing the first round.

Q. With The University of Wollongong in Australia, do you have any collaborations with other countries?
You have been conducting international collaborations with various countries.
What is the importance of international exchange research in the security research field?

A. There are two ways to grow: to work hard until you can stand on your own, or to collaborate with leaders who have started and achieved results and learn from their experience and know-how as a springboard for growth. Of course, the former is a meaningful challenge, but it is difficult to keep up with the rapid pace of technological advancement by doing research alone. In the case of security research, Korea is weak in original technology but strong in application. Therefore, it is important to collaborate with world-class universities that are ahead of us to learn their advanced technologies and create our own research achievements based on them. The Department of Information Security and Cryptography is also engaged in international collaborative research, participating in various global projects, including a two-and-a-half-year project from 2022. I think this is a meaningful challenge because it not only allows us to grow to the next level through collaboration with world-class institutions and schools, but also serves to promote our school globally.

Q. Last year, with the support of the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF), you conducted a research project titled 'Safe and Reliable Treatment of Type 1 Diabetes Patients with
Internalization of insulin pump security for safe and reliable treatment of type 1 diabetes patients: Anomaly Detection
technology and security protocols.
Security research is being applied not only to IT devices but also to medical devices.
Please tell us why security research is important for the future of society.

A. The most rewarding moment for a researcher is when our work makes a positive difference in someone's life, especially when it leads to a longer, healthier life. This is why I was involved in researching the security of insulin pumps for diabetics. It is an essential technology that can improve the quality of life of diabetics who need to inject insulin every time, but security research is a prerequisite for this technology to be commercialized. In the same way, the full-scale digital transformation of our daily lives will open up a future beyond what we can imagine. However, the development of technology without security and safety can lead to crises not only for individuals, but also for entire industries, countries, and the global community. Therefore, we are confident that technology will positively change our lives when security research is conducted first.