North America

In this episode, Korean Kontext spoke to Korean-American actor Steven Yeun.  Having acted in several high profile TV shows, Yeun’s interest in acting originated during his freshman year at Kalamazoo College after watching…

On Friday January 13, the Korea Economic Institute (KEI) celebrated Korean American day at the Newseum, in Washington, DC.  As part of the celebration, KEI recognized three Korean-American pioneers in…

This episode features a conversation with Sam Yoon, Executive Director of the National Alliance of Community Economic Development Associations (NACEDA). Prior to his work with NACEDA, Sam served on the…

In this episode we hear from Korean-American filmmaker Michael Kang, who made his directorial debut at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival with The Motel, which was awarded the Humanitas Prize…

The security alliance between the United States and South Korea, once focused primarily on military defense, is evolving to include economic security and technological cooperation. The evolving partnership between the…

This paper elucidates how Washington and Seoul cooperate on AI and quantum technologies, both recognized as critical emerging technologies essential to their national interests. Technology cooperation is denoted as government-to-government…

The United States and South Korea are close allies, committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and home to advanced industrial economies. Pragmatic cooperation on clean energy technologies would aid their…

For the United States and South Korea, aligning efforts in biotechnology and biomanufacturing within the strategic alliance will support shared goals for technological leadership, economic competitiveness, and supply chain resiliency.…

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…