Economy

Independence or Privilege? Inside the Battle Over Korea’s Financial Supervisory Service Reform

The Financial Supervisory Service has sweeping powers over banks, insurers, and securities firms—but little structural responsibility when scandals erupt. The government’s reform plan seeks to fix this imbalance, sparking fierce resistance from within.

9 min read

Beyond the Budget: Inside Korea’s Concentrated Fiscal Power

The Ministry of Economy and Finance dominates South Korea’s budgets, from constitutional clauses limiting parliament to fiscal statistics that shape public debate.

9 min read

Foreign Buyers in Korea Now Face Residency Mandates and Stricter Oversight

To counter speculative housing purchases, Korea enforces permits and live-in requirements for overseas buyers in key metropolitan areas.

6 min read

Post-Consumption Society: The End of Growth as We Knew It

As South Korea’s population contracts, so does its consumer economy. Retail turnover has stagnated, discretionary sectors are shrinking, and the policy toolkit is proving ineffective.

10 min read

How Media Fuels Korea’s Real Estate Frenzy

From click-driven panic to political blame games, Korean real estate journalism plays an active role in fueling the very bubbles it laments.

9 min read

KOSPI Eyes 3,000 as Rate Divergence with U.S. Grows

Foreign capital inflows and liquidity hopes are pushing Korean stocks higher, but structural economic weaknesses and a growing U.S.-Korea interest rate gap cast doubt on market sustainability.

3 min read

The Quiet Death of Korea’s Local Economies

Korea’s self-employed are disappearing — not from laziness or lack of innovation, but from operating in a system designed to make survival improbable. Without bold structural reform, small businesses will remain the shock absorbers of economic failure, not beneficiaries of national growth.

7 min read

Managing Household Debt in South Korea Through the Third-Phase DSR Policy

The third-phase Stress Debt Service Ratio (DSR) policy, effective July 1, 2025, seeks to curb South Korea's escalating household debt by tightening lending conditions.

6 min read

Why Korea’s Fiscal Stimulus No Longer Works—and What to Do Next

Public spending is no longer enough. South Korea’s economy needs fiscal architecture built for velocity, retention, and systemic flow.

7 min read

The Ethics of Control: Can CBDCs Uphold Freedom in a Digital Age?

CBDCs promise greater efficiency and transparency—but also raise a deeper question: what happens when your money is no longer just yours, but encoded with rules from above? The debate is no longer just about technology, but trust—and the future of citizenship.

7 min read

Currency as Strategy: Why South Korea Must Lead the Next Financial Order

While inflation remains moderate by global standards, its psychological impact is profound. Koreans increasingly feel disconnected from the value of money. A redenomination of the won could restore intuitive clarity, re-anchor economic perception, and reaffirm the credibility of state institutions.

11 min read

South Korea’s ‘Disengaged Workforce’ Hits Record High

For the first time, South Korea’s economically inactive population among young adults has surpassed 500,000, with 30-somethings exiting the workforce at record rates. Experts warn of severe long-term consequences if urgent labor reforms are not implemented.

5 min read