EP #325 - 08.23.2021 - COVID Research & the National Assembly Futures Institute of Korea

Today I talk about COVID in South Korea with June Jeon and Yeongjun Yeo of the National Assembly Futures Institute of Korea.

Associate Research Fellow, National Assembly Futures Institute, Republic of Korea. June was previously a postdoctoral fellow at Tufts University’s Center for Civic ScienceJune is a sociologist of science and technology, studying how social power interacts with science and technology. Previously, he studied science policy changes during the Trump administration based on laboratory ethnography. Currently, June is investigating how COVID-19 is shaping discourses on science and democracy in South Korea and the United States.

Yeongjun Yeo, Associate Research Fellow, National Assembly Futures Institute Republic of Korea. Yeongjun received his Ph.D. from the Technology Management, Economics and Policy Program (TEMEP) of Seoul National University in 2019 (Ph.D. Dissertation title:  Essays on Innovation, Human Capital, and Economic Growth in a Knowledge-based Economy : Computable General Equilibrium Modelling for Innovation Policy Assessment). He joined NAFI in July 2019, and is now conducting research on future-oriented innovation-driven growth strategies.  His recent research interests include innovation and industrial policy, innovation driven growth, innovation economics and policy impact assessments. Currently, Yeongjun is sketching a wide range of possible scenarios for the COVID-19 economy (w/ COVID era), which would set the Korean economy on different courses in the recovery period. Based on future scenarios, he is exploring the national strategies (policy options) to adapt to a number of changes brought about by the COVID-19.