[Interview] "A World Where Students Who Ask Well Are Valued" ... Professor Kim Jaejun's Predictions for the AI Era

"Fostering Creative Talent is Important... Students Need Diverse Experiences"
"Challenge Yourself in Unfamiliar Fields. Broaden Perspectives and Boost Creativity"

Professor Kim Jae-jun, Department of International Trade, Kookmin University. Photo by Heo Young-han younghan@

"Even when asking ChatGPT the same topic, the level of detail in the answers varies. This means that how you ask questions has become crucial in this era."

It is the era of artificial intelligence (AI). AI replaces tasks humans used to do and improves quality of life. The education sector is no exception to this trend. Children watch their favorite animations on tablet PC screens, and students learn coding from an early age. University students no longer write assignments themselves. At the national level, educational policies responding to the AI era, such as the introduction of digital textbooks, are pouring out. Changes expected now are on a completely different scale from previous curriculum revisions.

There is a figure who graduated from Seoul National University’s Department of Economics, served as the director of the National University Museum and library, and is active as a painter, collector, and audio critic, currently focusing on research and planning of AI and future residencies. Professor Kim Jae-jun of the Department of International Trade at Kookmin University is the protagonist. Professor Kim, who has demonstrated abilities in various fields, is currently interested in creating and implementing a comprehensive education curriculum that integrates arts, humanities, mathematics, and technology. His philosophy is that there should be more ‘Renaissance men’ who can excel in multiple fields rather than being experts in a single area. He also published a book proposing the necessity of interdisciplinary abilities and new educational methods titled Da Vinci School (Art Life Publishing).

On the 6th, Professor Kim met with Asia Economy in Yeouido, Seoul, and predicted that in the AI era, the ability to ask good questions will become a more important qualification for talent than ‘knowledge that answers well.’ Professor Kim said, “Until now, the ability to answer given questions well and to find answers quickly was emphasized, and people were evaluated based on this. Now, it is an era where AI, including ChatGPT, helps find answers,” opening his remarks.

He continued, “To ask good questions, one must grasp the core of the problem well and have a lot of prior knowledge.” He added, “In other words, if it was important to delve deeply into one field and become an expert there, now it is important to study broadly across multiple fields and be someone who asks good questions.”

Professor Kim Jae-jun, Department of International Trade, Kookmin University. Photo by Heo Young-han younghan@

Professor Kim said that improving the education system is indispensable to nurture students who ‘ask good questions.’ He pointed out, “For a country to become prosperous, economic development must precede, and ultimately, the economy is driven by creative and industrial manpower. Our country’s education remains focused on nurturing industrial manpower.”

He emphasized, “As important as efficient industrial manpower in production sites is creative manpower for new technology development. I do not mean to establish a separate education system for nurturing creative manpower, but rather to have a system that can produce both types of manpower simultaneously.” He added, “Ultimately, all creativity starts from curiosity and inquisitiveness. The more creative a student is, the more and better questions they should be able to ask.”

Regarding the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), recently embroiled in issues such as private education cartels and killer question controversies, Professor Kim explained, “There is a clear drawback in giving ultra-difficult questions to distinguish the top 5% of students. Because students are selected by a single exam, difficult questions are inevitably included, which is a kind of waste from the perspective of talent development.”

He said, “It would be efficient to reduce the importance of the CSAT to ‘just one gateway,’ like the past basic academic ability evaluation, and have universities add another exam in the form of a school-specific test. If the entrance exam is dualized in this way, students only need to study what matches their level or what is required by their desired university.”

Professor Kim emphasized, “If the burden on students trapped in a unified education system is reduced, schools will be able to provide more diverse education to students. Since diverse experiences are directly linked to creativity, it is clear that it is time to seek changes to respond to future society.”

Finally, to students dreaming of becoming future talents, Professor Kim urged, “I repeatedly emphasize that it is important to have diverse experiences. Whether it is sports or music, keep challenging yourself in fields you are not confident in. Through the process of challenge, your perspective will broaden and creativity will develop.”