Two graduate students from KDI School, Sehoon Kim and Jiye Kang, received first and third prizes, respectively, at the 7th Workshop of the Small Business Ecosystem Research Center for their outstanding research presentations. Their success reflects not only their personal dedication but also the academic culture of close mentorship and peer collaboration that defines the KDI School experience.

Sehoon Kim (Ph.D. in PP), who won first prize, presented “Leaving Someone Behind: Coal Phase-Out in South Korea.” Developed through his work as a research assistant in the Inequality and Economic Policy Lab, the study explores the socio-economic consequences of Korea’s coal phase-out, focusing on those disproportionately affected. Jiye Kang’s (Ph.D. in DP) third-prize-winning presentation, co-authored with Kim, examined changing patterns of remote work in Korea. Their study, “Who Works from Home in Korea?”, shows how telework shifted from being a lower-wage occupation pre-COVID to a benefit increasingly enjoyed by high-income professionals post-COVID.

While Kim had presented his work previously, Kang described the experience as her first public academic talk, adding: “One of the biggest challenges was figuring out how to capture the audience’s attention effectively.” Both students credited their growth to strong mentorship. Kim expressed deep appreciation for Professor Changkeun Lee, who has supported his research journey for over seven years. Kang also highlighted her advisor’s role in refining her slides and helping her frame her message for a general audience.

The success of these students exemplifies what can happen when students and faculty work in close academic proximity. As Sehoon Kim remarked, “The RA system allows students to actively participate in real research. Each professor has a distinct advising style, which prepares us for diverse research environments.”

This principle—proximity enabling growth—also resonates in other corners of KDI School’s ecosystem. In a recent interview, alumnus David Woo, now an upcoming PhD student at UC Davis, explained how the fear of climate change drove him to pursue serious academic inquiry into climate policy. His journey, like that of Kim and Kang, was shaped by an environment that fosters intellectual closeness, personal guidance, and hands-on research.

Professor Youngjae Kim, who played a pivotal role in David’s research development, exemplifies the faculty culture at KDI School—deeply engaged, mentoring students not only in academic writing but also in crafting meaningful research agendas.

KDI School’s research ecosystem—lab-based learning, mentorship, peer collaboration, and internal presentation opportunities—has become a launchpad for emerging scholars. As Jiye Kang shared, “Being part of the lab and learning from other master’s and PhD students has been incredibly valuable.” The achievements of Kim, Kang, and alumni like Woo illustrate how KDI School’s culture of research proximity and pedagogical care is cultivating the next generation of policy researchers who are ready to tackle complex global issues.