# Ilkyeong Moon

Ilkyeong Moon (Korean: 문일경) is a South Korean professor of Industrial Engineering at Seoul National University (SNU). He is known for his contributions to operations research, supply chain management, and production planning, with a focus on the Economic Lot Scheduling Problem (ELSP), hybrid optimization algorithms, and maritime logistics. He is a member of Korean Academy of Science and Technology, Division of Engineering. In addition, he serves as the Editor-in-Chief of the European Journal of Industrial Engineering.

## Education

Moon received his bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering from Seoul National University in 1984, followed by a master's degree in Industrial Engineering from the same university in 1986. He then earned a Ph.D. in Operations Research from Columbia University in New York in 1991. After completing his doctoral studies, he served as an Assistant Professor at the National University of Singapore. In 1992, he joined the School of Industrial Engineering at Pusan National University. His research primarily focuses on production scheduling, supply chain management, and inventory theory. He also worked as a visiting scholar under Professor Edward A. Silver at the University of Calgary, where he actively collaborated with leading international scholars. In 2012, he was appointed as a professor in the Department of Industrial Engineering at Seoul National University. Since then, he has developed optimal systems across diverse fields such as smart transportation, energy, environment, and aviation. Furthermore, he has expanded his research by incorporating cutting-edge technologies, including drones and foldable containers. In recognition of his contributions, he was elected as a member of the Korean Academy of Science and Technology in 2024. He currently serves as the Editor-in-Chief of the European Journal of Industrial Engineering.

## Academic career

Moon has held various academic positions throughout his career:
* Seoul National University (2012–present) – Professor, Department of Industrial Engineering
* Pusan National University (1992–2012) – Professor, Associate Professor, and Department Head
* National University of Singapore (1991–1992) – Lecturer, Department of Decision Sciences
* New Jersey Institute of Technology (1990) – Adjunct Lecturer, Department of Industrial and Mechanical Engineering
He was also a Visiting Scholar at the University of Calgary (1998–1999), working with Edward A. Silver on production and inventory management.

## Research and contributions

Moon's research focuses on production planning, inventory management, scheduling, and supply chain optimization. His key contributions include:
* The Distribution Free Newsboy Problem
* Economic Lot Scheduling Problem (ELSP)
* Supply chain network optimization
* Hybrid genetic algorithms for scheduling problems
* Vehicle routing and logistics modeling
He has published 180 papers in SCI-indexed journals, holds an h-index of 55, and his publications have been cited over 9,740 times according to the Web of Science. Building on his extensive knowledge of logistics and supply chain management, he leads several national research projects aimed at optimizing various operational management issues within smart cities. Notably, his project on disaster response logistics systems utilizing drones, funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT, received the highest possible rating of S (Superior).

### Inventory and production systems

Moon’s most influential contributions to the field of inventory management is his pioneering distribution-free approach to newsvendor-type inventory problems. This groundbreaking methodology eliminated the traditional dependency on specific demand distribution assumptions, providing a robust and versatile framework for inventory control under uncertainty. Moon’s approach has not only broadened the applicability of the classical newsvendor model but also established a new paradigm in stochastic inventory theory. His work has since become a cornerstone reference in both academic research and practical inventory management, frequently cited for its theoretical rigor and practical relevance.
In addition to this seminal contribution, Moon has advanced the theory and practice of production planning through the development of an externalized setup framework for multi-item production processes. His model addresses critical inefficiencies in manufacturing systems by minimizing stockouts and controlling setup costs, offering scalable solutions for complex production environments. These innovations have significantly improved the efficiency and reliability of production scheduling, influencing a wide array of subsequent studies and industrial applications.

### Logistics and last-mile delivery

In logistics optimization, Moon has advanced the integration of emerging technologies, particularly in last-mile delivery systems. His introduction of a novel variant of the Traveling Salesman Problem, known as TSP-Drone, represents a major advancement in hybrid logistics systems. This model, which incorporates collaborative operations between trucks and drones, leverages metaheuristic optimization techniques to enhance delivery efficiency.
Moon’s research demonstrated the transformative potential of drone-assisted delivery in reducing operational costs and improving delivery time reliability. His findings provide a foundational framework for the design and implementation of next-generation logistics networks that integrate autonomous aerial vehicles.

### Maritime logistics and container management

Moon has significantly advanced the field of maritime logistics through his research on container management optimization. His development of a mathematical model analyzing the deployment of foldable containers addressed one of the most persistent issues in global shipping: the inefficiency of empty container repositioning.
His work provided a rigorous theoretical basis for evaluating the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of foldable containers, offering strategic insights for reducing repositioning costs and improving container utilization. Moon’s contributions in this domain have had a lasting impact, promoting sustainable practices and operational efficiency within global maritime logistics networks.

## Academic society activities

* Fellow (2024−present): Korean Academy of Science and Technology
* Editor-in-Chief (2023−present): European Journal of Industrial Engineering
* Department Editor (2025−present): IEEE Engineering Management
* Guest Professor (2021−2022): Keio University, Japan
* International Scholar (2021): Northeastern University, China
* Vice-Chairperson Asia-Pacific (2019−2023): Advances in Production Management Systems
* President (2019−2020): Korean Institute of Industrial Engineers
* Editorial Board Member (2019−present): International Journal of Intelligent Manufacturing
* Board Member (2019−present): International Foundation of Production Research
* Fellow (2018−present): Asia Pacific Industrial Engineering and Management Society
* Associate Editor (2014−present): Flexible Services and Manufacturing Journal
* Board Member (2014−2017): Asia Pacific Industrial Engineering and Management Society
* Area Editor (2013−2017): Industrial Engineering and Management Systems
* Associate Editor (2010−2023): European Journal of Industrial Engineering
* Associate Editor (2005−2018): Asia-Pacific Journal of Operational Research (APJOR)
* Editorial Board Member (1994−2015): International Journal of Operations & Quantitative Management
* Editorial Board Member (2014−2015): Transportation Research-Part E
* Executive Committee Member (2011−2014): International Society for Inventory Research
* Area Editor (2009−2013): International Journal of Industrial Engineering
* Vice President (2011−2012): Korean Institute of Industrial Engineers
* Editorial Board Member (2007−2009): European Journal of Industrial Engineering
* Editor-in-Chief (2006−2008): Journal of the Korean Institute of Industrial Engineers
* Associate Editor (2001−2005): Journal of the Korean Institute of Industrial Engineers
* Editorial Board Member (1998−2002): IIE Transactions
* Editorial Board Member (1997−2009): International Journal of Industrial Engineering
* General Chair for International Conference on Advances in Production Management Systems 2018, August 26−30, 2018
* General Chair for The 2nd East Asia Workshop on Industrial Engineering, November 6−7, 2015
* Program Chair for The 15th Asia Pacific Industrial Engineering and Management Systems Conference, October 12−15, 2014
* General Chair for The 17th International Conference on Industrial Engineering Theory, Applications and Practice, October 6−9, 2013
* Secretary of The 2nd International Symposium and Workshop on Global Supply Chain, Intermodal Transportation and Logistics, May 2008
* Secretary of The 7th International Conference on International Journal of Industrial Engineering, October 2002
* Secretary of Technical Program Committee for The 20th International Conference on Computers and Industrial Engineering, October 6−9, 1996
* Member of Korean Institute of Industrial Engineers, Korean Operations Research and Management Science Society, Institute of Industrial Engineers, Production and Operations Management Society, INFORMS, Operational Research Society, IFIP WG5.7

## Awards and honors

Moon has received multiple academic awards, including:
* Commendation for Contribution to Basic Research Promotion hosted by Ministry of Science and ICT, January 2025
* Teaching Assistant, Department of I.E. & O.R., Columbia University
* Honourable Mention (Finalist Award) in the 1992 Best Dissertation Competition hosted by Production and Operations Management Society, October 1992
* Best Paper Award in the 5th Annual Competition hosted by The Korean Federation of Science and Technology Societies, April 1995
* Best Paper Award in the 1st Annual Cyber Conference Competition hosted by Korean Institute of Industrial Engineers, November 2000
* Best Paper Award in the 3rd Annual Cyber Conference Competition hosted by Korean Institute of Industrial Engineers, October 2002
* Best Paper Award in 2011 Annual Conference hosted by Korean Society of Supply Chain Management, June 2011
* 27th Jungheon Academic Grand Prize awarded by Korean Institute of Industrial Engineers, November 2013
* 2nd Internalization Prize awarded by Korean Institute of Industrial Engineers, November 2014
* Best Researcher Award hosted by Seoul National University, May 2018
* 6th Lee Young Hae SCM Scholar Award hosted by The Korean Society of Supply Chain Management, November 2021

## Patents

Moon holds several patents related to logistics, supply chain optimization, and UAV-based systems, including:
* Method of Business Management and Supply Chain Management using Work Flow Engine (Patent Number: 10-1008730) 2011.01.12
* System and Method for Determination of Containerships Routings in Maritime Logistics (Patent Number: 10-1040874) 2011.06.03
* Method for Loading in a Container by Considering Weight Balances (Patent Number: 10-1384739) 2014.04.07
* System and Method for Providing Total Logistic Using Drone (Patent Number: 10-1924729) 2018.11.27
* System and Method for Optimally Arranging Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (Patent Number: 10-2235461) 2021.03.29
* System and Method for Operating Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (Patent Number: 10-2322360) 2021.11.01
* Method and System of Creating Bundles for Gig-worker (Patent Number: 10-2022-0050548) 2022.04.25
* Apparatus and Method for Operating Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Based on Crime Prediction Results (Patent Number: 10-2022-0075335) 2022.06.21
* Transparent Plastic Bottle Collection Management Platform System that Can Improve the Participation in Transparent Plastic Bottle Collection (Patent Number: 10-2022-0094878) 2022.07.29
* Aircraft Scheduling Simulation System Using Reinforcement Learning and Method Thereof (Patent Number: 10-2022-0109661) 2022.08.31
* Method and Apparatus for Scheduling of Aircraft Flight (Patent Number: 10-2021-0141007) 2023.12.29