HYEOK JEONG 정혁

KFAS Fellowship 16th Term (1993)

PhD, Economics, University of Chicago, 2000

Thesis: Sources of Kuznet Dynamics in Thailand

Work & Experiences 

• Assistant Professor, Economics, University of Southern California (2000-2007)
• Visiting Assistant Professor, Economics Department & Population Research Center, University of Chicago (2003)
• Visiting Scholar, Economics Department & Population Research Center, UCLA (2005)
• Associate Professor, Economics, Vanderbilt University (2007-2010)
• Associate Professor, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) (2010-2011)
• Associate Professor, KDI School of Public Policy and Management, Korea (2011-2015)
• Director of Development Research Division, KDI Center for International Development, Korea (2013-2015)
• Professor of Graduate School of International Studies, Seoul National University, Korea (2015-present)
• Director of SNU International Studies Library, Seoul National University, Korea (2020-present)

Hyeok Jeong, PhD from University of Chicago, worked at the Economics Departments of University of Southern California and Vanderbilt University in the United States, at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) in Japan, and also at the KDI School of Public Policy and Management in Korea, before he joined the faculty of Graduate School of International Studies at the Seoul National University in 2015, where he works now. Professor Jeong was a visiting scholar at the University of Chicago, at UCLA, and at the Institute of Empirical Macroeconomics of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. He also worked at the World Bank as a Consultant Economist and served as the Director of Development in the Research Division of the Center for International Development at KDI. 

Professor Jeong's main research interests are various areas of growth and inequality with particular focus on finance and human capital. His recent research agenda includes Korean development experience, North Korean economy, demographic transition, science and technology innovations, smart city urban development, macroeconomic dynamics of land and housing, firm dynamics and international trade, higher education reform, and international development cooperation issues such as knowledge sharing and development finance to facilitate global development. He also serves public domains by consulting Korean government and public agencies (Blue House, Office of Prime Minister, Ministry of Economy and Finance, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport, Ministry of Unification, Bank of Korea, Export-Import Bank of Korea, and Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry) as well as the US public agencies (National Committee on American Foreign Policy) and international agencies (World Bank, UNDP, UNFPA, OECD, DAC).

His notable publications include Human Capital and Development: Lessons and Insights from Korea’s Transformation (co-authored), The Price of Experience in American Economic Review, Sources of TFP Growth: Occupational Choice and Financial Deepening with Robert M. Townsend in Economic Theory and Korean Economic Development through the Structural Change and Development of the Agricultural Sector. In 2012, Hyeok Jeong received commendation from the Minister of Strategy and Finance of South Korea and the Alumni President’s Award upon graduation from Seoul National University in 1991.