The coronavirus outbreak has afforded provincial governments an opportunity to further expand their fiscal toolkits and shape the local economy.

The response to the global pandemic has helped shift the narrative around small and medium enterprises, presenting them as more efficient exporters than their larger peers.

Korea received glowing international media coverage for its efforts to contain the virus and reduce the death toll, but the domestic reaction is more mixed.

The strength of Korean institutions has enabled administrations to identify external risks and pursue policies to prepare for a COVID-19 financial crisis.

Travel restrictions that were imposed to contain the ongoing pandemic revealed how reliant South Korea's agriculture industry is on foreign labor.

As a country that has been particularly impacted by financial crises in the past two decades, South Korea continues to face significant risks.