- Expected to significantly enhance the Fair Trade Commission's (FTC) economic analysis capabilities as Chief Economist -
The Korea Fair Trade Commission (Chairman Han Ki-Jeong, hereinafter referred to as the "FTC") has appointed Professor Sang-Hyun Kim from the Department of Economics at Yonsei University as the Director of Economic Analysis, an open position for external recruitment.
This marks the first time that a currently serving university professor has been appointed as the FTC’s Director of Economic Analysis. Professor Kim earned his Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Michigan in 2013 and has since served as a professor at the University of East Anglia in the UK and Yonsei University in Korea. His research has focused on industrial organization and behavioral economics, and he has provided numerous economic analysis consultations related to fair trade.
Notably, Professor Kim has experience advising the FTC on key economic analyses, including "Competitive Effects of Tying," "Market Research on the Cloud Industry," and "Economic Impact Analysis of Bundled Advertising Sales on Intermediary Platforms."
The importance of economic analysis in the FTC’s case-handling process continues to grow. To determine a violation of fair trade laws, it must be sufficiently demonstrated that the conduct in question restricts competition in the relevant market. To support this, various economic analysis techniques based on industrial organization theory and related economic principles are actively utilized in the FTC’s case investigations.
Since 2020, the FTC has leveraged the "Government Talent Recruitment Program" from the Ministry of Personnel Management to appoint private-sector experts with specialized knowledge in advanced economic analysis techniques as Directors of Economic Analysis.
Going forward, Professor Kim will oversee all economic analyses conducted during the FTC’s case-handling process, manage international cooperation related to economic analysis, and lead training programs to enhance the FTC’s economic analysis capabilities. In doing so, he will serve as the FTC’s Chief Economist.
With Professor Kim’s appointment, the FTC’s economic analysis capabilities are expected to improve further, enabling it to effectively respond to the growing demand for economic analysis. Additionally, through rigorous and precise economic analysis, the completeness of FTC rulings will be strengthened, thereby enhancing public trust in the FTC.