Dr. Il SaKong Chairman Institute for Global Economics

Dr. Il SaKong is currently Chairman & CEO of the Institute for Global Economics, a private non-profit research institute based in Seoul. Dr. SaKong is the founder of the Institute.

Dr. SaKong served in the government of the Republic of Korea as Minister of Finance (1987-88), Senior Secretary to the President for Economic Affairs (1983-87), Senior Counsellor to the Minister of Economic Planning Board (1982) and Senior Economist of the Presidential Council on Economic and Scientific Affairs (1979-80). During his tenure at these important economic policy-making posts in the Korean government, Dr. SaKong played the key role in shaping the basic Korean economic policy framework and steering Korea towards becoming one of the world's largest industrial economies.

Before joining the Korean government, Dr. SaKong spent nearly a decade at the Korea Development Institute (KDI), the leading national economic think-tank for the Korean government (1973-1982) as Senior Fellow, Research Director and Vice-President. Dr. SaKong also served as President of the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade (KIET), another national economic think-tank for the Korean government in the areas of trade and industry (1983).

Dr. SaKong graduated from Seoul National University (1964) and received his MBA (1966) and Ph. D. (1969) from the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA). From 1969 to 1973, Dr. SaKong taught economics at New York University (NYU) and University of Sheffield, England (1971-1972) (on leave from NYU).

Dr. SaKong has been Special Consultant to the International Monetary Fund in Washington, D.C. since 1989. He is currently serving as Chairman of the ASEM Vision Group, eminent persons group for ASEM. He is also a member of the Korea-US Wisemen Council, co-host of the Korea-US Twenty-First Century Council, and a member of the International Advisory Panel of the East-West Center. Dr. SaKong also serves as chairman or member of board of directors and advisory committees for various non-profit organizations, both domestic and international.

Dr. SaKong has written/edited many books and numerous articles in professional journals dealing with the Korean economy, major issues in economic development, and international finance and trade policy issues. They include, Government, Business, and Entrepreneurship in Economic Development: The Korean Case, Harvard University, 1980 (authored with Leroy P. Jones), Korea in the World Economy, Institute far International Economics in Washington, D.C., 1993, and The Korea-United States Economic Relationship, Institute for International Economics, 1997 (edited with C. Fred Bergsten).

Dr. SaKong regularly writes columns in major newspapers and economic journals and frequently appears on major television networks in Korea.

Dr. SaKong has received various medals of honor. They include: The Korean Government's Order of Civil Service Merit, "Blue Stripes," June, 1990; The Republic of China's Order of Brilliant Star with Grand Cordon June 16, 1987; The Kingdom of Belgium's Order of the Crown, November 20, 1986; and The Korean Government's Order of Civil Merit, "Moran Medal," April 1,1983.

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