Economics

    In the mid-1990s, North Korea experienced a famine that by some estimates wiped out 10 percent of the population. Though many at the time thought the regime would…

    On April 8, North Korea withdrew all of its workers from the Kaesong Industrial Complex, temporarily placing on hold the last form of cooperation between North and South…

With worldwide familiarity of Korean pop culture increasing through the viral exposure of Korean musician Psy’s hit record “Gangnam Style”, this episode Korean Kontext speaks to Mark James Russell, author…

In this episode we spoke to B.R. Myers, author of “The Cleanest Race” and regular contributor to the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and The Atlantic.  Having been raised…

By Seongjin James Ahn With the presidential elections in the U.S. now over, South Korea has turned its attention to the political transition occurring in China.  This week the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is set to reveal its new leadership roster for the next ten years, and regardless of who comes into power, South Korea…

By Seongjin James Ahn Over the last two decades the United States and South Korea have had a dynamic bilateral trade relationship.  Together they have reached impressive achievements in trade growth, but have also weathered through economic crises, experienced contractions in global demand, and had their fair share of disagreements. Yet in spite of these…

By Seongjin James Ahn Recently, South Korean music artist PSY projected himself into international fame with “Gangnam Style”, a song and music video that went viral online and parodies the opulent lifestyles of Seoul’s upper class – and of those who try to imitate it.  While both humorous and entertaining, PSY’s song ultimately points to…

By Chad 0’Carroll South Korea seems to have a branding problem when it comes to European perceptions of the country.  That’s according to a new poll which suggests European citizens view South Korea less favorably than do citizens from the United States. The study, “International Trends: Korea”, suggests that a striking 52 percent of Italians…

As disruptions in supply chains continue, what practical steps can the U.S. and Korea take to strengthen supply chains against future crises?