North America

Long before BTS and Psy made their debut, a handful of entrepreneurs were laying the foundations for what would become the Korean Wave in the United States. With Korean pop culture…

Korea today leads the world in autos and electronics, but newly emerging manufacturers and protectionism threaten the country's position as a leading exporter. In search of innovative industries that will…

K-pop had an explosive year in 2018, but it didn't arise from a vacuum. Since 1998, one web community – Soompi – has been sharing the latest information about Korea's…

For the latest episode, Korean Kontext spoke to Korean-American actor James Kyson. Having made waves for his performance as Japanese character Ando Masahashi on hit NBC television series “Heroes”, Korean Kontext…

This report evaluates the rationale and implications of President Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs on South Korean imports. The administration frames these tariffs as “reciprocal” measures necessary to correct perceived…

The key takeaways from this study are as follows: 1. Impact of Perception on Foreign Investment Attitudes: The study finds that individual perceptions of FDI at the state level play…

The Fall 2024 issue of Korea Policy, Broadening the Alliance: New Frontiers in US-South Korea Cooperation, is a special issue focused on the US-ROK alliance. The issue is motivated by…

The Joe Biden and Yoon Suk-yeol administrations have embraced the expansion of economic cooperation within the US-ROK alliance, leading to the emergence of South Korea as a valued technology partner…

Every fall, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) hosts the world’s top economists, central bank officials, government bureaucrats, and civil society leaders in its Annual Meetings to discuss issues of key concern and calibrate a future outlook on the global economy. There were four main themes in this year’s meeting: moderating inflation, low growth, fiscal stress,…

From October 16 to October 17, 2024, the Korea Economic Institute of America (KEI) visited Columbia, South Carolina, as a part of its long-running Future of Korea program. The Columbia World Affairs Council hosted a delegation consisting of KEI President and CEO Scott Snyder, KEI Program Officer Andy Hong, Economic Officer Evan Fowler from the…

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) was signed into law on August 16, 2022. It is the most comprehensive climate law passed by the US government, committing over $400 billion to clean economy initiatives through a mix of tax credits and funding opportunities. The law has initiated a wave of green investment across the United States…

Donald Trump, his vice-presidential running mate J.D. Vance, and his prospective secretary of the Treasury Robert Lighthizer have all pointed to a weaker dollar as a solution to the competitiveness problems of US manufacturing. Their suggestions raise more questions than they answer, however. Is a weaker dollar, in fact, something that can be achieved? Would…