From KU Family to Business School Professor…”KUBS is World-Class” 

[Interview with New Faculty for Spring Semester 2024] Professor Thummim Cho

KUBS (Dean=Sang Yong Kim) appointed two new faculty members, Professor Thummim Cho (Finance) and Professor Injun Roh (LSOM), as of March 2024. In this regard, the Management Newspaper conducted an interview with the new faculty members, Professor Thummim Cho and Professor Roh Injun, to introduce their aspirations to the readers. 

Professor Cho graduated from Cornell University and obtained his master’s and doctorate degrees in economics from Harvard University. He served as an English instructor at the Korea Military Academy (Lieutenant) and later as a finance Assistant Professor at the London School of Economics and Political Science in the UK, and as an Associate Professor of Economics at Pepperdine University in the United States. 

Q. You went to the United States to study during high school and received a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University. Can you tell us about that experience? 

A. I spent a year in the United States when I was in grade 1 of elementary school. Although I was young, I vaguely remember what the country was like, so I didn’t have much resistance to studying abroad during high school. Of course, I experienced difficulties in communication.  

However, I was happy to be admitted to my first-choice university. Since I embarked on a study abroad journey to the United States, I thought, “If I succeed, I will return to Korea.” 

Q. You entered Cornell University, your first-choice university. Were you always interested in economics and public policy? 

A. When I was very young, I wanted to be an architect. Until grade 9, I had a dream of becoming an architect. But in the United States, there is a program called AP (Advanced Placement), which allows high school students to take college-level courses in advance. I had the opportunity to study microeconomics in high school, and it fit me well. I liked subjects like mathematics, and economics was suitable for me because it involved a mathematical aspect in understanding social phenomena, and the subjects I wanted to study were related to society.  

Q. What led you to choose the path of academia after graduation? 

A. I didn’t think too deeply about it. I found economics interesting while studying it, and when I was about to finish my undergraduate studies, I didn’t feel like I had studied economics deeply enough. So, I decided to pursue a doctorate because I wanted to study more. I used to say that I wanted to be an architect when I was young. Having an interest in architecture was related to creating something new and being creative and being a “scholar” is a profession that develops new knowledge needed by society, so it was a good fit for me to choose the path of academia. 

Q. What made you come to KUBS? 

A. There are two reasons. First is the internal and external status of KUBS. KUBS is not only a prestigious university in Korea but also globally recognized, and it provides a lot of support for research.  

The second reason is a personal connection. I had affection for Korea University itself. My father completed his bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees at Korea University, and I was familiar with events like Kor-Yeon Games and Ipselenti. Also, when I visited my father’s laboratory at Korea University, I thought, “If I were to return to Korea and become a professor again, I would like to do it at Korea University.” In a way, the influence of my father, who was also a graduate of Korea University, was significant. 

Q. You have joined Korea University as a professor in the Business School, coming from a family of KU alumni. What do you think is the charm of KUBS? 

A. Although I haven’t met many students yet, they seem very proactive. As the saying of “Minjok KU,” the students are active and have a strong sense of challenge. I see a lot of proactive aspects. So, I think the big attraction is that excellent students are unfolding their dreams at KUBS. 

Q. Then, what are your teaching methods? 

A. I like to visualize when teaching. I had a lot of experience studying by drawing pictures when I learned a concept. When explaining new concepts to students, I also tend to use drawings in my teaching.  

Students are very smart, so I think if they take the time to study, they can follow the course well enough. Therefore, I think about what the important concepts are and how today’s lesson can be applied or helpful and teach accordingly. 

Q. As a scholar, what research would you like to pursue? 

A. As a financial scholar, I am always thinking about how economics, through the study of economics, can help develop real economies. One of the important roles of finance in a free-market economy is to distribute relaxed resources, and from an economic point of view, the economy grows through investments made where economic value is high. 

From that perspective, I am researching theoretical and methodological aspects that an increase efficiency in terms of autonomous economy, such as whether financial assets are currently priced correctly or undervalued. 

Q. If you were to express KUBS in one word, what would it be? 

A. I would like to say that KUBS is “World-Class.” KUBS is one of the world’s leading business schools. Moreover, everyone, including ambitious students and excellent faculty members, is world-class. It is a place where students who can work as world-class individuals in their fields gather, so KUBS can be called “World-Class.” 

Q. What kind of professor do you want to be remembered as by your students? 

A. I want to be remembered as a professor who can instill a sense of responsibility as a Korea University student. The fact that you can study like this is not only because you worked hard, but also because you had help from the school, your parents, and others. Just as someone’s help has brought you this far, I want to foster someone who can do something helpful to Korea or the world.