Asia

The paper reviews some of the key aspects leading to Korea’s remarkably successful economic transformation, including its consistent and aggressive pursuit of export-led growth, its investments in basic services and…

Korea’s economic development is often cited as a model for other developing nations. One of about 60 countries whose per capita income was less than $300 in the 1960s, only…

Korea has shaken off some of the impacts brought by the Sewol ferry disaster, but its overall pace of growth is still very weak. The Korean economy is forecast to…

The Korean economy has faced several crises, such as the ending of the rapid economic growth era in the 21st century, continued stagnation of per capita GDP growth since 2007…

This spring, Han Kang became the first Korean author to win the prestigious Man Booker International Prize for her novel, "The Vegetarian." And, for the first time in the prize's…

North Korea recently experienced one of the worst natural disasters in its history, as flood waters swept through towns in the northeast part of the country. Up to 600,000 people…

Middlebury College, famous for its immersive language programs, added Korean as its 11th language in 2015. Now, after two summers, the School of Korean is helping students from a variety…

With the goal of supporting the next generation of scholars interested in Korea and Northeast Asia, the U.S.-Korea Next Gen Scholars Program brings together young professionals from various backgrounds to…

With the removal of President Yoon Suk Yeol from office, South Koreans head to the polls next week to pick his successor. The leading candidate is Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party, a progressive politician with a track record of being critical of Japan. In 2023, he engaged in a twenty-four-day hunger strike to protest…

Economic data for South Korea from recent months, analyzed by the Korea Economic Institute of America (KEI), offers an early indicator of how U.S.-imposed tariffs from April 2 might impact Korea’s economy and U.S.-Korea trade. Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum imports went into effect in February, followed by tariffs on autos on April…

South Korea has faced political paralysis since President Yoon Suk Yeol’s December 3, 2024, declaration of martial law, the rapid reversal of that decision by the National Assembly, and the ensuing crisis. The Constitutional Court will decide on April 4, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. KST whether to uphold the Assembly’s decision to impeach President Yoon.…

The digital trade landscape in South Korea offers significant opportunities for U.S. companies, but it also presents a range of challenges. As one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world, South Korea is a lucrative market for digital trade. However, U.S. companies eager to tap into this potential face various challenges, including regulatory…