I am an Associate Professor at KDI School of Public Policy and Management. My research examines the intersection of international political economy and foreign direct investment, with particular emphasis on government-business relationships, industrial policies, and geo-economic statecraft.

My work contributes to understanding how these dynamics affect the liberal international order amid intensifying geo-economic competition.

Research interests

  • International political economy
  • Foreign direct investment
  • Government–business relations
  • Industrial policy
  • Geo-economic statecraft

Publications

  1. 2026

    Paying Taxes for Favor: The Deterring Effects of Industrial Policies on Innovation in South Korea

    Seungjun Kim and Syungjin Han

    Socio-Economic Review

    Read paper
  2. 2025

    Are foreign stock investors politically responsive? Evidence from the 2012 South Korean presidential election

    Seungjun Kim

    New Political Economy

    Read paper
  3. 2023

    Personal networks, state financial backing, and foreign direct investment

    Seungjun Kim

    Comparative Political Studies

    Read paper
  4. 2023

    Protecting home: How firms' investment plans affect the formation of bilateral investment treaties

    Seungjun Kim

    The Review of International Organizations

    Read paper
  5. 2019

    Examining political connections to study institutional change: Evidence from two unexpected election outcomes in South Korea

    Kai Jäger and Seungjun Kim

    The World Economy

    Read paper

Working papers

  1. R&R

    Do Jobs Created by Foreign Firms Decrease Support for an Anti-Globalization Politician?

    ByungKoo Kim, Seungjun Kim, and Jong Hee Park

    Revise and resubmit, International Studies Quarterly

  2. 2026

    Supertar Firms, FDI, and Geopolitics

    Seungjun Kim

    Under Review

  3. 2026

    Pro-Globalization Publics in Asia and Regional Economic Order

    Seungjun Kim

    Under Review

  4. 2026

    Dyadic Decoupling, Not Systemic Reallocation: Political Distance and U.S.-Bound Greenfield FDI

    Seungjun Kim, Chungshik Moon, and Jeheung Ryu

    Working paper

  5. 2026

    Foreign Direct Investment, Outsourcing Investor Protection, and the Role of Information Quality

    Rebecca N. Hann, Heedong Kim, Seungjun Kim, and Viktoriya Zotova

    Working paper

    Outstanding Paper Award, 2022 International Accounting Section Midyear Meeting

  6. 2026

    Delivering Against Populism: How Infrastructure Investment Undermines Extremist Politics in High-Need Districts

    Stefano Jud, ByungKoo Kim, Seungjun Kim, and Jong Hee Park

    Working paper

  7. 2026

    When Working Harder Leads to Worse Results: Traps and Alternatives in Organizational Accountability and Performance

    Junesoo Lee and Seungjun Kim

    Under review

  8. 2025

    Mega-Project Crisis Vulnerability: Analyses of BRI Initiatives and UN Voting Patterns, 2000–2019

    Soyeon Shin and Seungjun Kim

    Working paper

Teaching

Graduate courses at KDI School of Public Policy and Management.

  • Politics of Global Economy

    Graduate course

  • Theories of International Relations

    Graduate course

  • War, Peace, and Politics

    Graduate course

Curriculum vitae

A full record of appointments, publications, grants, and service.

Download CV (PDF)