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.
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.
Netflix's Korean Premiere Met with Controversy
June 28, 2017
By riding on the popularity of its original content (House of Cards, Orange is the New Black) and incorporating Korean media into their library, Netflix is now in a prime position gain a market share in the entertainment industry in Korea.
10 Useful Korean Slang Terms
Jenna Gibson
June 16, 2017
These 신조어, or neologisms, allow people to squeeze a longer phrase into just a few syllables – perfect for texting or chatting online. Many of the phrases evolved from Korea’s gaming culture – try typing out full phrases to your opponent while simultaneously trying to direct a cyber army into battle.
North Korea, Fake News, and getting Clickbaited by Kim Jong-un
June 15, 2017
We are told that we now live in a post-truth society where elections can be influenced by clickbait, and the topic of North Korea is one that lends itself incredibly well to this new-era of sensationalist headlines and questionable reporting.
Conceptualizing South Korea’s Response to a Nuclear Power Accident in North Korea
June 5, 2017
South Korea’s response to a nuclear reactor crisis at North Korea’s Yongbyon complex depends heavily on many assessments and factors.
Building a Safe South Korea
June 2, 2017
During his campaign, President Moon Jae-in said that the president and the Blue House should be the “control tower” for disaster management, citing Article 34 in the Korean constitution.
Why do Koreans Vote at a Higher Rate in Elections than Americans?
May 31, 2017
Even prior to this presidential election, South Korea had a track record of high voter turnout relative to other countries.
Moon Vows to Become a “President of All People,” but Faces a Nation Divided
May 23, 2017
An unexpected early presidential election was held on May 9 in South Korea. This election was the result of the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye. The election was won by Moon Jae-In, who strongly argued for eradicating ‘deep rooted evils”’ in Korean society, referring to the turmoil from the former President Park.
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