Modernizing the Countryside, Managing the City: Korea’s Developmental Challenge

Dr. Changkeun Lee (Associate Professor, KDI School of Public Policy and Management)

Lecture

During Korea’s rapid industrialization, large-scale migration to cities—particularly Seoul—created serious urban challenges, including overcrowding and poverty. At the same time, the government faced the pressing need to modernize underdeveloped rural areas. In response, it launched ambitious initiatives like the Saemaul Undong (New Village Movement) to transform rural communities, while also tackling urban poverty through housing and welfare policies. This lecture will provide students with a deeper understanding of these dual efforts, situating them within Korea’s broader development context and exploring concrete policy examples.

About the lecturer

Changkeun Lee is an associate professor at KDI School of Public Policy and Management. His research combines techniques and perspectives of economic history, labor economics, and applied microeconomics. Specifically, he investigates firm behaviors and their association with technological and macroeconomic changes, focusing on the technology-institutions-labor market nexus. Regarding time and area, his research covers the United States during the Great Depression, South Korea since its independence, and Vietnam since its opening.

He has also engaged in numerous policy projects commissioned by the Korean government. His research includes evaluating various policies, such as active labor market policies, factory digitalization, cultural policy, and Korea's official development assistance (ODA) strategy. Before joining the KDI School, he worked for Yonsei University Mirae Campus (2018-2020) and Korea Development Institute (2015-2018). He earned a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (2015). He is also a reserve Navy officer.

Online event!

Please register in advance: https://fu-berlin.webex.com/weblink/register/re5ac4acfd3dbf48b1a1a7aa4749e562b