The Korea Fair Trade Commission (“KFTC”) announced the appointment of Dr. Jabonn Kim, a Senior Research Fellow at the Korea Institute of Finance (“KIF”), as a Standing Commissioner of the KFTC for a three-year term, effective October 2.

Dr. Kim holds a B.A. and an M.A. in economics from Seoul National University, an LL.M. from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law, and Ph.D.s in economics from the State University of New York at Albany and Korea University Law School.

Since joining the KIF in 1996, Dr. Kim has also served as a member of the Fair Trade Policy Advisory Group of the KFTC, the Inclusive Finance Strategy Task Force of the Financial Services Commission, the Financial Policy Advisory Committee of the Ministry of Planning and Budget, the Government Policy Evaluation Committee of the Office for Government Policy Coordination, the Public-Private Council (Win-Win Fairness Subcommittee) and the Discovery Research Group of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, the Steering Committee of the Supreme Court’s Sentencing Research Group, and the Future Growth Innovation Committee of the Korea Customs Service. He has also served as the Chairperson of the Financial Supervisory Advisory Committee of the Financial Supervisory Service, the Korea Banking Law Association, and the Private Finance Committee.

According to the KFTC press release announcing the appointment, Dr. Kim is an expert in fair market economy, shared growth, Big Tech, fintech, separation of financial and industrial capital, separation of banking and commerce, productive and inclusive finance, and basic financial rights, with extensive research record in these areas.

With a dual background in economics and law and more than 30 years of financial policy research, Dr. Kim is recognized for his ability to analyze policy issues from theoretical, empirical, and legislative perspectives and to present practical policy proposals.

The KFTC expects Dr. Kim to contribute significantly to its decisions, given his service on the committees of various government agencies, his efforts to reflect research results in policy-making, and his extensive experience in policy discussions and seminars.