Korea University Graduate School of Life and Environmental Science

• Department of Food Bioscience and Technology
• Department of Applied Economics
• Department of Environmental Science and Ecological Engineering
• Department of Molecular and Genetic Engineering
• Department of Molecular Diagnostic Biomedicine
• Department of Horticulture and Bio-Technology
• Department of Climatic Environment

Background

The Department of Applied Economics was founded in 1959 to deal with economic issues related to food production, distribution, policy, regional development, resource use and environmental management based on applied economics such as food, natural and environmental, and welfare economics. Moreover, we utilize macro-economic theories to analyze the impact of agriculture and the local economy on GDP, inflation and employment, as well as economic issues regarding finance, financial policy and international trade.

As the domestic and global environments surrounding agriculture are changing fast due to the launch of the WTO and the global expansion of free trade deals, our school has evolved from the College of Agriculture into the College of Natural Resources and then the College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology. Today, we are a world-class educational institute that leads the cutting-edge in life sciences, bioindustry, food engineering and environmental ecology engineering, all new engines of growth. In tandem with changes in the College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, the Department of Food and Resource Economics was restructured into the Department of Applied Economics to focus on newly emerging, practical issues surrounding the economy and business administration such as life sciences, agribusiness, food industry, environment and ecology, natural resources and energy, biofuel, public health and healthcare, marketing of animal and botanical products, investment, trade and policy, quarantines, patents and intellectual property.

Overview and Research Topics

Applied Economics is a social science that deals with issues on the development and application of food and natural resources. It approaches food-related production, consumption, marketing, policy, trade, finance, natural resources, and environmental management issues due to economic development from an economic perspective.

Food and resource-related issues have always been difficult to resolve. Applied economics pursues the effective management and adequate use of food and resources while approaching the production, distribution and consumption of food and resources from an economic perspective. Korea’s food self-sufficiency has been declining, and food security and resource nationalism have emerged as important agenda items for international organizations such as the WTO, FAO and APEC. This reflects the growing significance of applied economics.

Our department uses the methodologies of economics, business administration, statistics and business information system to study food supply, logistics, natural resources and the environment, production management and agribusiness, finance and consumer economics, international trade and future trade, and welfare and the information economy.

Careers After Graduation

After graduating, students pursue careers in food-related companies, international economic institutions, trade companies, economic research institutes, suppliers, government and public agencies, environmental organizations, financial institutions, and the media, or become professors, certified financial accountants, or public officials.

Professor Introduction