Asia

The tax burden in Korea—at 26 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) —was well below the average of the member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)…

There may have been no one who anticipated the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers, once one of the top five global investment banks. The shocking news reverberated through the Korean financial…

Korea’s economy in 2008 was adversely impacted by high commodity prices, especially oil, and by financial and real shocks started by the collapse of housing prices in the United States…

The twenty-first century has already been dubbed the Asian century. Although this nomination may be premature, it is certain that its fi rst decade belongs to Asia. This is reflected…

Although it is happening more rapidly in South Korea, an aging society is a common feature in post-industrial societies around the world. With the number of retirees growing and the…

In March, Seoul suffered from the worst air pollution on record. Enough that the South Korean government has officially designated the problem as a "social disaster." But what is causing…

Over the past few years, Korea and Koreans have experienced incredible political, social, and diplomatic shifts. It is hard keeping up with all these new developments as a Korea Watcher,…

Even before the meeting between President Trump and Kim Jong-un in Hanoi, foreign policy practitioners and observers were talking about the difficulties of sequencing international sanctions relief for North Korea…

South Korea’s bid to host the 2030 World Expo in Busan is part of the national agenda. In its efforts to win the expo, Seoul is looking to leverage its strengths, including its business networks and naming BTS as official ambassadors, to make up ground in what may be a long shot bid against the…

At the end of July, the Yoon government announced its intention to relax South Korea’s prohibition on North Korea media. In a statement published on 22 July, the Unification Ministry said it would work to "restore ethnic homogeneity by enhancing mutual understanding and consensus between the two Koreas through phased opening of mass media that…

As young South Koreans navigate an increasingly competitive education system and job market, a growing industry has presented a new opportunity: esports. No longer only viewed as a pastime or casual hobby, video games have opened a field for many to develop their skills and even attain superstar status. Esports is valued globally at $1.38…

August 24 of this year marked the six-month anniversary of the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.  In February, Moscow massed a hundred thousand troops along its border with Ukraine, all the while sanctimoniously proclaiming that it had no intention to invade. Expectations in Moscow were that Russia would quickly overthrow the government led by…