NCCU and Korea University Co-host 2026 Graduate Student Conference in Economics
Date :
2026-11-10
Department :
College of Social Sciences
【Article by the College of Social Sciences】
The 2026 National Chengchi University–Korea University Graduate Student Conference in Economics, jointly organized by the College of Social Sciences at National Chengchi University (NCCU) and the College of Political Science and Economics at Korea University, was held on November 7 at NCCU’s General Building. The event brought together dozens of faculty members and students from NCCU and other institutions, including participants from NCCU’s Department of Economics, Department of Public Finance, Graduate Institute of Development Studies (GIDS), International Master’s Program in Applied Economics and Social Development (IMES), and Master of Eminent Public Administrators(MEPA), as well as nine faculty members and students from the Department of Economics at Korea University.
The opening ceremony was hosted by Christine Wang, an IMES graduate student. Dean Wan-ying Yang of NCCU’s College of Social Sciences and Vice Dean Seik Kim of Korea University’s College of Political Science and Economics delivered remarks on behalf of their respective institutions. Both shared fond memories of their previous visits to each other’s universities, reflecting the strong ties between the two institutions and setting a warm tone for the conference.
The morning session, chaired by Professor Cheolbeom Park of Korea University, focused on Macroeconomics and Trade. Topics included the impacts and transmission of fiscal uncertainty, alarm-verified forecasting models, maritime connectivity and exports in small island developing states, and the economic impact of U.S. state trade offices in Taiwan. During the lunch break, students took the opportunity to continue exchanging ideas. In addition to discussing the conference presentations with their Korean counterparts, international students from IMES showed particular curiosity about South Korea and the cultures and histories of countries around the world.
The afternoon began with the session on Labor Economics, chaired by Professor Seik Kim of Korea University. Presentations examined the effects of South Korea’s mask mandate on early childhood language development, the impact of the Serious Accidents Punishment Act on wages and employment in South Korea, the costs associated with labor market concentration, and the challenges and opportunities facing middle-skilled workers in the age of artificial intelligence. Together, these topics explored how external changes reshape labor market structures, while also highlighting the importance of institutional responses and balancing welfare considerations.
During the afternoon tea break, GIDS prepared a selection of Taiwanese tea-time treats, giving visiting faculty members and students from around the world a taste of Taiwan’s distinctive bubble tea culture, along with beloved Taiwanese snacks that have been part of generations of childhood memories.
The final session, Tax and Microeconomic Theory, was chaired by Professor Wei-Min Hu, Chair of NCCU’s Department of Public Finance and President of the Taiwan Economic Association. Topics included the impact of the Keelung–Greater Taipei–Taoyuan metro network on housing tax revenues, optimal income taxation in South Korea, heterogeneous cognition and peer evaluations of private ability, and group identity under opinion polarization. The presentations explored differences across social groups and geographic areas through theoretical predictions and empirical assessments.
At the closing ceremony, Professor Yu-hsuan Su, Director of GIDS, expressed her appreciation to faculty members and students from both universities for making the academic exchange possible. She also recalled first meeting Professor Seik Kim in 2006, when they were both pursuing their graduate studies in the United States. Little did they imagine that twenty years later they would be co-organizing an international academic conference together. She encouraged the graduate students to cherish the friendships and connections they are building with their peers and professors, as these relationships may one day bring them together to pursue meaningful endeavors.
On the day before the conference, the visiting Korean faculty members and students also toured the implementation sites of NCCU’s University Social Responsibility (USR) initiative, Diversity, Inclusion, Co-benefiting Wenshan: Community Renaissance Project. The delegation was welcomed by Shinn-Shyr Wang, Chair of NCCU’s Department of Economics and Executive Director of the project; Chen-An Lin, a doctoral student and project assistant; and Yu-hsuan Su, Director of GIDS and a member of the project team. Professor Min Ye Paing Hein of Thailand’s Thammasat University, a longstanding partner of NCCU, also traveled to Taiwan specifically to participate in the USR site visit and the conference.
Director Su noted that the event provided a valuable opportunity for faculty members and students from the participating institutions to engage in lively exchanges. She added that NCCU would continue exploring opportunities for inter-university academic exchange and collaboration, opening up new possibilities for future partnerships.
The 2026 National Chengchi University–Korea University Graduate Student Conference in Economics, jointly organized by the College of Social Sciences at National Chengchi University (NCCU) and the College of Political Science and Economics at Korea University, was held on November 7 at NCCU’s General Building. The event brought together dozens of faculty members and students from NCCU and other institutions, including participants from NCCU’s Department of Economics, Department of Public Finance, Graduate Institute of Development Studies (GIDS), International Master’s Program in Applied Economics and Social Development (IMES), and Master of Eminent Public Administrators(MEPA), as well as nine faculty members and students from the Department of Economics at Korea University.
The opening ceremony was hosted by Christine Wang, an IMES graduate student. Dean Wan-ying Yang of NCCU’s College of Social Sciences and Vice Dean Seik Kim of Korea University’s College of Political Science and Economics delivered remarks on behalf of their respective institutions. Both shared fond memories of their previous visits to each other’s universities, reflecting the strong ties between the two institutions and setting a warm tone for the conference.
The morning session, chaired by Professor Cheolbeom Park of Korea University, focused on Macroeconomics and Trade. Topics included the impacts and transmission of fiscal uncertainty, alarm-verified forecasting models, maritime connectivity and exports in small island developing states, and the economic impact of U.S. state trade offices in Taiwan. During the lunch break, students took the opportunity to continue exchanging ideas. In addition to discussing the conference presentations with their Korean counterparts, international students from IMES showed particular curiosity about South Korea and the cultures and histories of countries around the world.
The afternoon began with the session on Labor Economics, chaired by Professor Seik Kim of Korea University. Presentations examined the effects of South Korea’s mask mandate on early childhood language development, the impact of the Serious Accidents Punishment Act on wages and employment in South Korea, the costs associated with labor market concentration, and the challenges and opportunities facing middle-skilled workers in the age of artificial intelligence. Together, these topics explored how external changes reshape labor market structures, while also highlighting the importance of institutional responses and balancing welfare considerations.
During the afternoon tea break, GIDS prepared a selection of Taiwanese tea-time treats, giving visiting faculty members and students from around the world a taste of Taiwan’s distinctive bubble tea culture, along with beloved Taiwanese snacks that have been part of generations of childhood memories.
The final session, Tax and Microeconomic Theory, was chaired by Professor Wei-Min Hu, Chair of NCCU’s Department of Public Finance and President of the Taiwan Economic Association. Topics included the impact of the Keelung–Greater Taipei–Taoyuan metro network on housing tax revenues, optimal income taxation in South Korea, heterogeneous cognition and peer evaluations of private ability, and group identity under opinion polarization. The presentations explored differences across social groups and geographic areas through theoretical predictions and empirical assessments.
At the closing ceremony, Professor Yu-hsuan Su, Director of GIDS, expressed her appreciation to faculty members and students from both universities for making the academic exchange possible. She also recalled first meeting Professor Seik Kim in 2006, when they were both pursuing their graduate studies in the United States. Little did they imagine that twenty years later they would be co-organizing an international academic conference together. She encouraged the graduate students to cherish the friendships and connections they are building with their peers and professors, as these relationships may one day bring them together to pursue meaningful endeavors.
On the day before the conference, the visiting Korean faculty members and students also toured the implementation sites of NCCU’s University Social Responsibility (USR) initiative, Diversity, Inclusion, Co-benefiting Wenshan: Community Renaissance Project. The delegation was welcomed by Shinn-Shyr Wang, Chair of NCCU’s Department of Economics and Executive Director of the project; Chen-An Lin, a doctoral student and project assistant; and Yu-hsuan Su, Director of GIDS and a member of the project team. Professor Min Ye Paing Hein of Thailand’s Thammasat University, a longstanding partner of NCCU, also traveled to Taiwan specifically to participate in the USR site visit and the conference.
Director Su noted that the event provided a valuable opportunity for faculty members and students from the participating institutions to engage in lively exchanges. She added that NCCU would continue exploring opportunities for inter-university academic exchange and collaboration, opening up new possibilities for future partnerships.