Who We Are
The Korean Innovation Research Center (hereinafter KIRC) is an educational organization established to advance the understanding of the drivers of competitiveness and sustainable economic growth in order to raise living standards in the communities it serves. It will conduct rigorous, nonpartisan research to identify policies, institutions, and market conditions that enable individuals, businesses, and regions to thrive. The work will be grounded in empirical evidence and real-world outcomes and seek to inform decision-makers with insights that are both analytically sound and practically actionable.
The organization believes that competitiveness is not an end in itself, but a means to broader prosperity, opportunity, and resilience. The research will explore how productivity, innovation, workforce development, infrastructure, and governance interact to shape economic performance and social well-being while focusing on translating complex economic dynamics into clear frameworks that policymakers, business leaders, and community stakeholders can use to foster inclusive growth.
The organization will collaborate with local communities, public, private, and civic institutions to understand regional strengths and constraints, ensuring that our work reflects local realities and priorities. Through convenings, publications, and advisory initiatives, it aims to bridge the gap between research and implementation, helping communities design strategies that enhance competitiveness while improving quality of life.
Ultimately, the goal is to contribute to a future in which economic growth is broad-based, durable, and aligned with human flourishing. By promoting evidence-based policies and fostering informed public dialogue, we strive to empower communities to achieve higher incomes, greater opportunity, and stronger economic resilience. We measure our success by the tangible improvements in prosperity and well-being that result from the ideas and actions we help inspire.
KIRC will be addressing these important topics through research, educational forums, webinars, and conferences.
KIRC is dedicated to advancing charitable, scientific, and educational purposes that directly involve scholarly activities.
Steering Committee
Yongwook Paik
KAIST, Korea
Professor Paik is a tenured professor at the KAIST College of Business, located in Seoul, Korea. His research focuses on entrepreneurship, innovation, and strategy and how they are interrelated with institutions and public policies.
Daniel Sokol
USC, USA
D. Daniel Sokol is the Carolyn Craig Franklin Chair in Law and a Professor of Law and Business at the USC Gould School of Law and Marshall School of Business (marketing department). He holds a courtesy appointment in the Department of Economics.
Dongwon Lee
HKUST, Hong Kong
Professor Lee Dongwon is an assistant Professor of the Department of Information Systems, Business Statistics and Operations Management (#ISOM), and a Lee Heng Fellow of HKUST Business School.
Dokyun (DK) Lee
Boston U, USA
Dokyun ”DK” Lee, is a Kelli Questrom Chair Associate Professor of Information Systems and Computing & Data Science School at Boston University. He studies the responsible application, development, and impact}of AI in business with a focus on unstructured data.
Yong Lim
SNU, Korea
Yong is an Associate Professor at Seoul National University (“SNU”), School of Law, who specializes in competition and governance in digital markets. As a leading contributor to law and policy for data and AI governance in Korea, Yong’s work includes articles and publications on digital platforms and competition, data ownership and portability, and data privacy.
The Korean Innovation Research Center 