The Peninsula
The Peninsula blog is a project of the Korea Economic Institute. It is designed to provide a wide ranging forum for discussion of the foreign policy, economic, and social issues that impact the Korean peninsula.
The Hidden Costs of President Moon’s Minimum Wage Policy
September 28, 2017
In July 2017, South Korea’s Minimum Wage Commission finalized the decision to increase the country’s minimum wage by 16 percent to 7,530 won ($6.60) per hour in 2018.
Korea Unveils Ambitious Plans for "Mooncare"
Jenna Gibson
August 23, 2017
On August 9, right before hitting his 100th day in office, Korean President Moon Jae-In unveiled his plan to expand Korea’s already extensive healthcare system, a proposal quickly dubbed “Mooncare.”
Koreans Push Back Against Abuse of Power by Franchises
Sang Kim
August 16, 2017
Scandals have led to a pushback against Korean franchises.
Ten Useful Korean Dating Terms
Jenna Gibson
August 8, 2017
If you’ve ever been in Korea around Valentine’s Day (or Peppero Day, or Christmas), you know that Korean dating culture is no joke. To help you navigate the world of relationships in Korea, we’ve compiled a list of 10 useful Korean words to describe different aspects of dating and relationships.
Presidential Puppies in the Blue House
Juni Kim
August 3, 2017
South Korean President Moon Jae-in garnered attention last week with the announcement of the newest presidential resident, a rescue dog named Tory.
The Growth of the Korean Adoptee Community and Its Impact on Adoption in South Korea
July 20, 2017
Since the end of the Korean War, over 200,000 children from South Korea have been adopted around the world.
Korean Summer Reads 2017
Mark Tokola
July 18, 2017
With summer already well underway, KEI staff members wanted to share a few books that are on our personal reading lists before autumn is on our doorstep!
Overcaffeinated? Korea's Ubiquitous Coffee Shop Culture
July 6, 2017
One thing that shocks most first time visitors to Korea is the ubiquity of coffee shops. You can’t find anywhere in Seoul that isn’t a short walk to the nearest café. The sheer magnitude of Korea’s passion for coffee is best expressed through numbers: Korea boasts the highest per capita number of cafes in the world.
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