"The First & The Best," The Allure of Korea University Business School    [New Faculty Interview for the 2023-1 Semester] Professor Lee Kyu-han    The KUBS (Dean. Kim Sang-yong) appointed two new faculty members, Professor Lee Kyu-han (MIS) and Professor Lee Jae-min (Management) in March 2023. In light of this, the Business News conducted an interview with the newly appointed professors, Lee Kyu-han and Lee Jae-min, to introduce their aspirations to the readers.    Professor Lee Kyu-han graduated from Seoul National University with a major in Business Administration and obtained a master's degree in MIS from the same university. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Arizona in the United States. From 2021, he served as an assistant professor at W. P. Carey School of Business - Arizona State University. In March 2023, he joined the KUBS as a professor of MIS.      Q. Please introduce yourself, Professor Lee Kyu-han.    A. Hello, I'm Lee Kyu-han, who joined Korea University in March 2023. I started majoring in Management Information Systems (MIS) during my master's degree. There are various branches within MIS. For example, it involves studying the effects of certain variables based on quantitative economics and understanding human behavior based on surveys. I have been conducting research on developing deep-learning models. In terms of domains, I am also striving to conduct research on socially impactful issues such as misinformation.    Q. What prompted you to choose Business Administration? Do you have any specific reasons?    A. Business Administration is a field that allows for various career paths. When I was young, I didn't know what I wanted to do, so I wanted to pursue an open field of study. The KUBS itself is divided into seven majors; like this, It is an open and diverse field of study, so I chose it to explore what I could excel in.    Q. As mentioned earlier, Business Administration offers various career paths. Was there any specific reason for choosing an academic career after undergraduate studies?    A. During my undergraduate years, I had several internship experiences. I gained experience in various industries, including duty-free shops, IT venture companies, and large corporations such as LG Electronics. Of course, internships alone cannot provide extensive experience, but I could indirectly understand corporate life and work.    Being an academic allows me to pursue the fields I'm interested in and provides autonomy. I have a habit of seeking and working on tasks on my own rather than being assigned specific tasks. Therefore, I felt that being an academic was more suitable for my aptitude, and that's why I chose an academic career.    Q. What led you to join KUBS?    A. I had always thought that someday I would return to Korea. I didn't expect to come back so soon. I didn't want to miss the opportunity to join KUBS because it is considered the best business school in Korea. Fortunately, I was given a good opportunity and was able to take up the position.    Q. What do you think is the appeal of KUBS, which is evaluated as the best business school in Korea?    A. I believe it is the excellent students, senior professors, and strong support. The composition of the senior professors was great. KUBS values diversity in research areas and backgrounds, which is very appealing to me. I also found many aspects to learn from the research achievements of senior professors. Additionally, I felt that it would be rewarding to teach the best students in Korea. In terms of research, I felt that it would be an environment where I could excel.  Assuming that we consider the education and research system in the US as an advanced system, KUBS’s' educational and research environment is not significantly different from that of the US. I think the students' level is higher than most schools in the US. "The Best" is a word that adequately describes the appeal of the Department of Business Administration at Korea University.    Q. Can you introduce the courses you currently teach?    A. I am currently teaching "Data Management and Knowledge Management" as an undergraduate course. It is an English lecture and can be considered fundamental in the field of Data Analytics (DA). From the perspective of the data analytics process, it can be understood that I am teaching the basic knowledge required for storing and developing foundational data. Data management and knowledge management are the fundamental courses in data analytics.  I also include coding in my lectures. This aspect makes it somewhat similar to mathematics because you need to understand the principles to apply them. While it is important for me to teach the principles well, I believe it is meaningful to show how they are applied even if students don't fully understand them. Therefore, I make an effort to show them roughly how it is utilized, even if they don't understand it 100%.    Q. As a professor at Korea University's College of Business, what kind of research achievements would you like to demonstrate?    A. I plan to continue the research I mentioned earlier. Along with that, I want to explore areas I haven't previously studied. For example, although I have focused on advancing AI models and deep learning models, I now want to examine how AI or deep learning models affect people. As this is slightly different from the areas I have been researching, I would like to receive a lot of help from senior professors.    Q. What does KUBS mean to you as Professor Lee Kyu-Han sees it?    A. Personally, I would like KUBS to be like "paint" or a "palette." I had the opportunity to talk to first-year students at the mentoring day for advising professors. When I asked them, "What do you want to do?", I received a few standardized answers. For example, professions like Certified Public Accountants (CPA).  Of course, I’m not saying that professions like CPAs are bad. They can pursue their creativity and feel a sense of fulfillment in those occupations. However, I hope that undergraduate students would explore various experiences rather than having a specific occupation in mind from the first year. In that aspect, if KUBS could provide a foundation for such explorations and offer a variety of colors, it would be great to be described as "paint" or a "palette."    Q. What kind of professor do you want to be remembered as by your students or disciples?    A. I don't necessarily want to be remembered as a great mentor, but it would be nice if students remember me as a professor who taught them something relevant to their practical experiences. I have noticed among my friends, who are now in their mid-30s or later, that they are engaging in various tasks and projects independently.  The common story they share is that what they learned during their undergraduate studies has a direct or indirect relevance to their current work. At that time, they might have wondered if such knowledge would be useful. If students have similar thoughts in the future, I would be happy to be among the list of professors who come to mind. 

  Embracing Challenge, Change, and Innovation: Korea University Business School is the “Entrepreneurship Spirit”    [Interview with New Faculty Members for the 2023-1 Semester] Professor Lee Jaemin    Korea University Business School (Dean. Kim Sangyong) appointed two new faculty members, Professor Lee Kyuhan (MIS) and Professor Lee Jaemin (Business Administration), starting in March 2023. The KUBS News presents an interview with the newly appointed faculty members, Professor Lee Kyuhan and Professor Lee Jaemin, to introduce their aspirations and more to the readers.    Professor Lee Jaemin obtained his bachelor's degree in Business Administration and master's degree from Seoul National University and later earned his Ph.D. in Management and Entrepreneurship from INSEAD University in France. Since 2016, he has served as an assistant professor at Imperial College Business School in the United Kingdom, and in March 2023, he was appointed as a professor (Business Administration) at KUBS.      Q. Could you introduce yourself, Professor Lee Jaemin?    A. I am Lee Jaemin, newly appointed to the Business School for the 2023 academic year. This semester, I am teaching Venture Management, and in the second semester, I will be teaching "Organizational Design and Competitive Advantage."    Q. Is there a reason why you chose to study business administration?    A. Back when I was a student, there weren't many opportunities to choose a dual degree or a double major. So, the major I chose when I first entered university continued until graduation. Although there are excellent fields of study such as law and economics, I was attracted to the appeal of business administration.    What I find attractive about business administration are its diversity and inclusiveness. Fundamentally, business administration solves problems unique to management using theories developed from economics, psychology, and sociology. Especially, the approach of resolving new corporate-related issues in society faster than anyone else is a characteristic of business administration. Because of these characteristics and the diversity and inclusiveness of business administration, I chose to study it.    Q. Did you have a reason to pursue an academic path after your undergraduate studies?    A. During my undergraduate and master's programs, I was involved in small-scale entrepreneurial activities. Through entrepreneurship, I had various curiosities, and I realized that I value "autonomy" more than I thought. It's not about the time spent on work, but about being able to think and live freely about the direction of any work. So entrepreneurship suited me, and I wanted to research topics I was interested in and determine the research methods myself. Of course, there are guidelines, but there is a lot of autonomy in making choices. I chose academia because it provides autonomy.    Q. What motivated you to join Korea University Business School, and what do you find attractive about it?    A. It has been over 10 years since I left Korea. During that time, I observed how prestigious business schools in Korea were evolving from a distance. In the case of Korea University Business School, it had sincerity, a strong desire for development, and a "challenging spirit" to embrace new things. It didn't fear change and progressed with a clear direction.    I liked KUBS's proactive approach to constant improvement and challenges. I found it the most appealing, and I thought of returning to my home country and teaching students. At that moment, a good opportunity arose, and I was able to join the KUBS    Q. Could you introduce the courses you are currently teaching?    A. I teach "Venture Management" as an undergraduate course. When students bring in business ideas, I aim to identify any problems they may have and provide solutions to address those problems. I give feedback on whether the problems they identify are specific to their target audience or if they need to broaden or narrow their perspective. Instead of giving them the answers, I encourage them to conduct their own research and contemplate the solutions themselves.    So although they may not be able to use it immediately, I hope that the content they learned in my class will come to mind and be helpful when they contemplate the direction they should take. That's why I try to focus on providing practical things as much as possible. I want to be a "reference book" that students can turn to first when they have concerns or questions related to entrepreneurship or my lectures.    Q. As a professor at KUBS, what research achievements do you hope to demonstrate?    A. Korea University Business School provides much support and encouragement to publish in reputable journals recognized worldwide. They have various systems in place to support this, and I want to publish as many papers as possible in leading journals with the name of Korea University on them.    Q. What does KUBS mean to you?    A. I would say "entrepreneurial spirit." I have been keeping an eye on Korea University Business School since my undergraduate days, and it is the first business school in Korea that has introduced advanced systems, and it is the best business school. It is a business school that truly deserves the title of "The First & The Best." The LG-POSCO Building, for example, was an extremely innovative building at the time.    KUBS always has a clear vision of continually moving forward. I believe that generating goals and visions, finding directions, identifying problems, and solving them are very similar to the entrepreneurial spirit. Constantly challenging, changing, and adapting is the characteristic and identity of KUBS, so I would like to express it as an "entrepreneurial spirit."    Q. What kind of professor do you want to be for your students or disciples?    A. We must respect the diversity of individuals because everyone is different. So, I don't think it's my place to tell them "how to live." I want to be someone who delivers practical and substantial content that they can actually refer to when they come to a point of contemplating their career in the future. Even if they pursue different professions later on, the moment of contemplating whether to start a business or not is bound to come.    When that moment comes and they start pondering with the faint memory of what I taught, I want to be remembered as a professor who can provide practical materials that they can look into first. 

  “I want to help so they can study all they want” … Cumulative Donation of 8.4 Billion KRW, Philanthropist, Alumnus Hwisung Yu    2023 May, made an additional donation of 1 billion KRW to his alma mater Korea University, 500 million KRW was allocated to the development of the Business School      In 2011, Hwisung Yu, who donated 1 billion KRW to his alma mater Korea University for the Hyundai Motor Business Building Fund, is also known as the ‘donation king’. Not only did he donate 1 billion KRW in 2011, but he also contributed 1 billion KRW in 2015 for a development fund and in 2017, he also donated an apartment (worth 2.4 billion KRW at the time) in Seoul Seochogu. In 2022, he made an additional donation of 1 billion KRW to welcome the new year.     The donation king’s donations are not offer yet. He visited Korea University once again to donate another 1 billion KRW. On May 25th, a “Insung Fund Donation Ceremony” took place at the main building of Korea University, with President Dongwon Kim, Dean, Sang Yong Kim, Vice President for Development and External Affairs Hojeong Shin attending. During the ceremony, alumnus Hwisung Yu expressed his thoughts saying, “Because I have struggled through studying while working earning money, when I see juniors struggling, it touches my heart. I want to help them study all they want without financial worries.”        The reason why alumnus Hwisung Yu was able to donate a total of 8.4 billion KRW (2 billion KRW of which went to the Business School) to Korea University is because of his frugal lifestyle. Despite facing many difficulties after establishing Joheung Construction, he overcame difficulties with perseverance and passion, establishing himself as a successful entrepreneur. Throughout his life, alumnus Hwisung Yu has practiced a frugal lifestyle.    The 1 billion KRW donated by alumnus Hwisung Yu will be divided, with the Insung Fund and the Business School receiving 500 million KRW each. The Insung Fund, named according to the wishes of alumnus Hwisung Yu, combines the Chinese character ‘In’ from the names of alumnus Hwisung Yu’s mother and grandmother and the Chinese character ‘Sung’ from alumnus Hwisung Yu’s own name. The Insung Fund is names in recognition of its various forms, such as the Insung Scholarship Fund, Insung Research Fund, and Insung Research Award. It is highly valued and meaningful because it supports all members of Korea University including not only students but also faculty members and even research advancement.     As a gesture of gratitude towards alumnus Hwisung Yu who dontated 10 billion KRW to the Hyundai Motor Business Hall Fund, the Business School named Room B204 of the Hyundai Motor Business Hall as the ‘Hwisung Yu Lecture Room.”       Furthermore, the Insung Research Award, established to support the research conducted by faculty members of the Business School, aims to recognize, and support faculty members who engage in innovative and groundbreaking research in the field of business that contributes to the creation of future literature and achieves publication in top international journals. Selected as “Insung Researchers”, these faculty members received up to 30 million KRW to support their research endeavors. In 2017, the Business School held the Insung Research Award ceremony, and professors Dongseop Lee, Chris Changwha Chung, Kihoon Kim, and Ji-Woong Chung were awarded the Insung Research Award.      Meanwhile, the Business School plans to utilize the Business School Insung Fund donated by Hwisung Yu for purposes such as professor recruitment, aiming to achieve the goal of becoming a Global Top30, Asia No.1. business school. 

  ESG Research Institute hosts ESG Management Colloquium with Public Institutions    Introduction of ESG management to public institutions is a societal demand…Expansion of K-ESG is necessary      On May 12th, a colloquium on ESG management, hosted by the Korea University Business School (Dean=Sangyong Kim) ESG Research Institute (Director=Jay Hyuk Lee) and the Korean Association for Governance Studies (KAGS), took place at the LG-POSCO Hall. With the growing emphasis on the importance of ESG management and the need to expand it to the public sector, the colloquium focused on the theme of "Public Institutions and ESG Management" and a total of 200 participants attended. The event was held in conjunction with the 2023 KAGS Spring Academic Conference, which centered on the topic of "Public Performance and Innovation during the Era of Transition: Public Institutions K-ESG and Governance."      The colloquium began with congratulatory remarks by KAGS President Choi Hyunseon and ESG Research Institute Director Jay Hyuk Lee. President Choi expressed his anticipation for the rich discussions that would take place in the twelve sub-sessions under the theme of "Public Performance and Innovation during the Era of Transition" and mentioned that in-depth discussions on various fields such as depopulation, safety, regional issues, local finance, and culture, along with alternative solutions, would be held. He also expressed gratitude to Korea University and Director Lee for providing the venue for the academic conference and announced that a draft of "Public Institutions' K-ESG" tailored to the characteristics of public institutions would be presented.    Director Jay Hyuk Lee then explained that ESG management, which seeks sustainability in terms of the environment, society, and governance, is increasingly demanded by public institutions responsible for the well-being of the nation and its people. He stated, "These societal demands necessitate systematic discussions on activating ESG management in public institutions" Also he mentioned the sessions on K-ESG public institutions sections, guideline indicators, and guideline applied sessions and expressed his hope that public institutions as the foundation of the nation would become more sustainable through these discussions      Following the opening remarks, Acting Minister Han Chang-seop of Ministry of the Interior and Safety delivered a congratulatory message via video. Then, Deputy Minister Yoo Jae-cheol of the Ministry of Environment, President Choi Sang-han of the Korea Institute of Public Administration, President Kim Il-jae of the Korea Research Institute for Local Administration, Chairman Kim Wan-hee of the Management Evaluation Team in the Ministry of Economy and Finance, Director Na Sung-woong of the Korea Childcare Promotion Institute, President Lee Jae-won of the Korean Association for Local Finance, and Director Cho Hyun-rae of the Korea Creative Content Agency shared their expectations and reflections on the colloquium.    Among the twelve parallel sessions held during the colloquium, the special round table on public institutions’ K-ESG" focused on discussions regarding the guideline for public institutions’ K-ESG. President Choi Hyunseon and Director Jay Hyuk Lee each made presentations and President Choi explained the definition of the guideline, the need for its development, and the methodology. He stated, "Given the recent global emphasis on ESG management, it is inevitable," and added, "However, to ensure efficient management of ESG performance indicators without excessive burdens, we have developed the guideline for public institutions’ K-ESG, taking into account the unique characteristics of public institutions."     Director Jae Hyuk Lee further stated, "We utilized the developed guideline for public institutions’ K-ESG and conducted pilot evaluations targeting 54 public institutions," and emphasized the need for discussions on the correlation between ESG-related indicators in the performance evaluation criteria for public institutions and the guideline indicators for public institutions’ K-ESG. He also highlighted the importance of responding to international standard changes through the dissemination of public institutions' K-ESG.      This colloquium holds significant meaning as it followed the "ESG Colloquium: 2023 Outlook on Public Institutions and ESG Management," which took place on February 21st. Various discussions were held to promote ESG management in public institutions. The Korea University ESG Research Institute which hosted the colloquium, was recently promoted from research center to research institute to conduct a wider range of ESG research. 

  "We Will Achieve It, Carrying on the Spirit of Restoration"... Scholarship Certificate Award Ceremony for the 2023 Spring Semester Held    On May 18th, the scholarship certificate award ceremony for the 2023 spring semester of the KUBS (Dean: Kim Sang-yong) was held at the LG-POSCO Building. The ceremony was attended by around 70 recipients, including Mr. Heo Chun-gu, Chairman of KOSAC Co., Ltd., Seo Kwang-su, Auditor of Cheongpyeonghwa Market Operation Committee, Professor Bae Jong-seok of the business school, Executive Director Lee Chang-hoon of KPMG Samjong Accounting Corporation, Lee Kyu-won, CEO of Lee Do-gomtang and President of the 1995 Alumni Association of the KUBS, Yang Sung-il, Executive of KCC Corporation, and Dean Kim Sang-yong, as well as other guests and scholarship students.      The ceremony began with an opening address by Dean Kim Sang-yong. He expressed his gratitude to the recipients, saying, "The KUBS aims to ensure that no student gives up their studies due to difficult financial circumstances. Thanks to the warm hearts and dedication of our donors, we are able to continue the scholarship program this year." He further stated, "Over 600 donors have participated in the KUBS Dream Scholarship, enabling 381 students to pursue their studies diligently. We are genuinely pleased and grateful for this." He also emphasized the impact of generous contributions, stating, "Through the generous support of donors, students of the business school are becoming talents who shine not only in Korea but also globally. I hope that you, the students, will express your gratitude and contribute back to society and our alma mater with a greater sense of purpose."    Following the opening address, the awarding of scholarship certificates took place. This semester, a total of 163 students received scholarships through 13 different programs, including the △Heo Chun-gu Dream Scholarship, △Seo Kwang-su Dream Scholarship, △Eunmin Dream Scholarship, △KPMG Samjong Accounting Corporation KU Alumni Association Scholarship, △M&J Culture and Welfare Foundation Scholarship, △KUBS Dream Scholarship, and △95 Dreamcare Dream Scholarship. The donors and Dean Kim Sang-yong presented the scholarship certificates to the students and took commemorative photos together.      After the awarding ceremony, the recipients and scholarship students enjoyed a relaxed atmosphere during dinner. The event continued with speeches from the donors and a word of thanks from a student representative. Chairman Heo Chun-gu advised, "As responsible leaders, even if it means incurring losses, we should pursue in the right direction considering future generations and the overall well-being. Beyond supporting and maintaining the present-day prosperous South Korea in this complex world, we should strive to further develop ourselves and become dignified and capable leaders." He also expressed his heartfelt encouragement and kind words to the students, saying, "For me, a man who has reached the age of 85, my only hope is in you all."    Next, Auditor Seo Kwang-su shared his philosophy, stating, "If I have developed my own philosophy in life, it is that the world has two sides." He advised, "Always remember that in the world we live in, there are never only good things or bad things. Even if it seems like the world is cornering you, believe that there will always be at least one solution to the problem."      Professor Bae Jong-seok emphasized that “Our main goal is to nurture social leaders who generate new ideas and knowledge and transform society.” He expressed his hope, saying, "I hope that you become leaders who pursue inclusiveness and consider the world in your thoughts." Finally, Executive Director Lee Chang-hoon conveyed his encouragement, saying, "Congratulations to all scholarship recipients. Even if you sometimes feel impatient on your journey of continuously achieving something, think of life as a marathon and never give up on your goals."      Choi Yoo-hyun (business administration ‘22), the student representative, shared his gratitude, saying, "There have been times when I had to get through a day with just a packet of instant noodles in difficult circumstances. Thanks to the scholarship, I can let go of the psychological burden and find happiness in my daily life." He further expressed his aspiration, saying, "I am truly grateful for the sincerity of the donors, and I hope to become a wonderful adult who also shows unconditional love." Another student representative, Jeong Ye-seo (business administration ‘22), stated that "It is an honor to express my gratitude to the donors on behalf of the scholarship recipients who are passionately running towards the future. My dream is to inherit the spirit of restoration learned from the donors and become an adult who realizes that spirit in society."      The award ceremony concluded with the attendees and recipients singing the school anthem together and taking group photos.     

  "I really want to get admitted!"... '2023 Spring Regular Campus Tour and Youth Meeting Day' with Prospective KUBS Students (a.k.a. Ko-Kyung-in)    On May 20th, the '2023 Spring Regular Campus Tour and Youth Meeting Day' event, organized by the KUBS (Dean: Kim Sang-yong), was held. The regular campus tour is a program that provides mentoring to high school students from across the country, along with KUBE (Korea University Business Administration Student Ambassadors), to explore the Korea University campus, introduce university life, and provide information about the 7 majors and 3 tracks in the KUBS.      Held every spring and autumn, the tour accepts around 100 high school students. However, for this regular campus tour, over 600 high school students applied, showing a competition rate of more than 6:1. This indicates that many high school students have a desire to enter the KUBS.    The regular campus tour began with a welcoming speech by Vice Dean Kwon Sung-woo. Vice Dean Kwon encouraged students who came from Jeju Island across the sea, saying, "The KUBS values the spirit of collaboration, which is why we refer to each other as 'KyoWoo' (school friend)." Referring to the student ambassadors, he also stated, "We will not only provide a campus tour that simply introduces the school but also offer diverse and valuable advice." Lastly, Vice Dean Kwon expressed his hope that the students would strive to fulfill their dreams with the support of the student ambassadors, who could become their seniors in the future.      Following the welcoming speech, the regular campus tour proceeded with △the introduction of the student ambassadors (KUBE), △introduction of KUBS, △introduction of the 7 majors and 3 tracks in Business Administration major, △the campus tour, and △mentoring programs with the student ambassadors. After the introduction of the KUBS and the 7 majors and 3 tracks in the Business Administration major, the students participated eagerly in a quiz, and those who answered correctly were awarded prizes.      Subsequently, the high school students had a meaningful time exploring the main buildings of the KUBS: the KUBS Main Building, LG-POSCO building, and Hyundai Motor Hall. During the mentoring session, the student ambassadors answered questions that the students had written on sticky notes. The questions varied from romantic aspects of campus life to practical aspects of pursuing a major in Business Administration. When a high school student expressed concern about English, which they found challenging despite excelling in Korean and mathematics, the student ambassador kindly offered advice based on their own experience.        After completing all the mentoring activities, the students, divided into 10 groups, took commemorative photos with the student ambassadors who led their respective groups, looking forward to meeting seniors and juniors in the Department of Business Administration. Park Jae-hyun, a student from Sehwa High School in Jeju, said, "I found out about this regular campus tour through my school and decided to apply. It was great to have the opportunity to hear various stories and have an interest in Business Administration." Koh Na-yeon, a student from Sinseong Girls' High School in Jeju, said, "I learned about the regular campus tour through posters. I had expectations because it was Korea University, and I applied because I was curious about Business Administration." In particular, Goh Na-yeon made a resolution, saying, "I really want to get admitted to the Department of Business Administration."      There were also significant encounters with alumni of the KUBS. Song Young-moon, a member of the Class of '64 in Business Administration, visited the regular campus tour while holding his grandson's hand. Song Young-moon explained that his grandson was interested in the department, and although he himself found out about it late, he said, "I would be proud and deeply moved if my grandson gets admitted to the Department of Business Administration."    Song Seong-hyun, a student from Bae Myung High School and Song Young-moon's grandson, shared, "Both my grandfather and father graduated from Korea University, so I had curiosity about the school. During the winter vacation, I decided on Business Administration as my career path, and I applied to gain more information about it. It was great to be able to obtain various information about Business Administration." Lastly, Song Seong-hyun expressed his desire to meet his grandfather as a senior in the department.      Meanwhile, the regular campus tour and youth meeting day at KUBS is held once every semester (May and November). Therefore, in November, it is scheduled to recruit participants and proceed with the program for high school students.