Small and Medium Enterprises In the Spotlight as Efficient Exporters

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...

South Korea and a COVID-19 Financial Crisis: Part 2 – Tools and Cooperation

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

Korean Agriculture’s Dependence on Migrant Workers

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

South Korea and a COVID-19 Financial Crisis: Part 1 – The Risks

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

South Korea’s 5G Ambitions

Korean Tourism Industry Hit Harder by Coronavirus than SARS or MERS

There are already indications that Korea’s tourism industry will be hit harder by the coronavirus than by prior infectious diseases such as SARS and MERS.

Coronavirus Weakens Labor Unions

Coronavirus is changing the labor-management relationship in major Korean retail companies as public policy focus turns to minimizing the economic fallout of the epidemic.

North Korean Coal Smuggling, Still Profitable

North Korea’s trade deficit can be partially explained by the revenue generated from Pyongyang’s illicit exports of coal exports.

Domestic Labor Market Faces Coronavirus Headwinds

Economic uncertainties created by the coronavirus revealed that skilled workers in the manufacturing sector face more risks than other groups in the labor market.

An Adversarial Media? Or Bad Public Policy?

The government’s focus on attracting media cooperation reveals the administration’s belief that previous real estate policies had been scuttled by bad publicity.

South Korea’s Mixed Message to Immigrants

While recognizing the economic benefits of foreign workers, South Korea is still hesitant to take steps that would integrate immigrants into society.

Economic Relations between Russia and South Korea in the New Northern Policy

The New Northern Policy, proclaimed by the South Korean President Moon Jae-in in Vladivostok in September 2017, is designed to boost economic cooperation between Russia...

Building the Seoul Metro System, Part 2: Plastic

Seoul's near-optimal metro system was not built by accident. Seoul adopted tools that facilitated people’s ability to access the public transportation system, most notably a...

Building the Seoul Metro System, Part 1: Steel

Seoul's near-optimal metro system was not built by accident. The government made an early commitment to building an extensive network of tracks.

South Korea Chooses Market Stability Over Innovative Industries

Although the government promotes bio-health as a growth industry, the regulator’s warning to investors suggests t r y rket stability.