Hye-Won Ko is the Senior Research Fellow (former Director of Center for the Evaluation of Skills Development Policy ) in the Korea Research Institute for Vocational Education and Training (KRIVET) under the Korean Prime Minister’s Office. Prior to joining KRIVET, Dr. Ko worked as a Specialist for Vocational Training in the Korean Ministry of Labor (1995-1997). She has served as a member of the advisory panel to the Korean Presidential Commission and member of the Evaluation and Advisory panel to the Korean Ministry of Strategy and Finance, Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Unification, and Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs (2006-now). She earned her Ph. D. in Public Policy from Ewha Womans University in Korea.

Dr. Ko will address the relationship between lifelong vocational education and training (VET) and social cohesion  of North Korean defectors in South Korea. Lifelong VET develops human and social capital. In turn developed human and social capital leads to economic and non-economic achievements. The point that Dr. Ko has made in studies she authored is that greater economic and non-economic achievements would result in a higher level of social cohesion.

In terms of the effect of North Korean defectors' participation in VET on social capital, Dr. Ko’s research found that they possessed a higher level of trust than others in South Korea. Her studies also found that North Korean defectors who took part in VET programs had high levels of networking and participation, but that level was still low, compared to others in South Korea.

Korea Club Directors

Jim Kelman (KUSCO)         Greg Scarlatoiu (HRNK)          Linda Butcher (KEI)
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