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.
South Korea’s Political Parties: Bareun Makes its Case
Juni Kim
January 26, 2017
Here is a brief look at the current state of the four major political parties in South Korea today.
The Korean Oscar Nomination that Could Have Been
Jenna Gibson
January 25, 2017
Among the big Korean films of 2016, two of the biggest explored the colonial Japanese period, but they couldn’t be more different.
How Korean-Americans Transformed the History of Science and Technology
Juni Kim
January 13, 2017
As we celebrate Korean-American Day, a look at how Korean-American's have helped to shape science and technology.
10 Issues to Watch for on the Korean Peninsula in 2017
Juni Kim
January 5, 2017
Our annual look at the events that will shape the Korean peninsula in the coming year.
South Korea’s Dad Dilemma: More Fathers Take Paternity Leave but Large Gap Remains
Jenna Gibson
December 21, 2016
The South Korean government has been pretty creative in its search for a solution to their rock bottom birth rate – from subsidies for fertility treatment to encouraging employees to go home without saying goodbye to their boss. But one of the country’s giant conglomerates is taking a more drastic step by mandating that their male employees take a month off after having a child.
Why Korea is Hesitant to Accommodate the IMF's Suggestion on Household Debt
December 19, 2016
South Korea faces a household debt crisis. Household debt reached more than 1,257 trillion won ($1.1 trillion) in the second quarter of this year, up 125.7 trillion won and 11.1 percent from a year ago. This marks the highest level for household debt since the government began compiling related data in 2002.
5 Interesting Documentaries about South Korea
Jenna Gibson
December 14, 2016
Historically, local documentaries have not been that popular in South Korea – the first widely successful documentary in the country was 2008’s “Old Partner,” which shattered domestic records just by attracting 100,000 viewers in the first few weeks after its release. Since then, more independent films have begun to crop up, telling real-life stories about different aspects of Korea. The five films below represent some of those stories.
South Korea’s Concern with Nation Branding Strategies
November 22, 2016
There are two means that a nation can use to influence the preferences of international audiences: hard power and soft power.
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