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[Interview] The Values Sustained by Haengbok Joongsim Co-op for 35 Years (Part 2)

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  Haengbok Joongsim Co-op, founded and led primarily by women, made strenuous efforts to survive before ultimately closing its doors in 2024. In the previous post, we shared the first part of our interview with Ahn In-sook, former President of the Haengbok Joongsim Federation of Consumer Cooperatives, who served until the final days in an effort to sustain the organization.   This second part explores the core values Haengbok Joongsim Co-op upheld from its beginnings to its final stages, as well as the current state of its regional member co-ops. We recommend reading Part 1 before continuing with this article.   👉👉Read 1 First Part [Interview] Why South Korean Women Built Cooperatives (Part 1)   Q. While Haengbok Joongsim Co-op has gone bankrupt, we understand that several cooperatives remain active since it operated as a federation. What significance does their continued operation hold?   A. Haengbok Joongsim transitioning into a federation st...
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[Interview] Why South Korean Women Built Cooperatives (Part 1)

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  Haengbok Joongsim Co-op, which first opened its doors in 1989, closed down in 2024 after 35 years of history. As a consumer cooperative founded and led primarily by women — one that had vigorously driven diverse grassroots initiatives alongside the distribution of eco-friendly food — the news of its closure came as a profound shock to me. Looking back to 2024, when I first learned of its shutdown while reporting on the ground, I remember sitting at my desk in silence, completely stunned.   Yet, the fact that a women-led cooperative was established, operated, and sustained for over three decades carries immense historical significance. The 35-year journey carved out by Haengbok Joongsim Co-op remains an indelible chapter in the history of the cooperative movement.   This article captures an interview with Ahn In-sook, former President of the Haengbok Joongsim Federation of Consumer Cooperatives, who fought to sustain the organization until its final days. Believi...
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Cultivating Your Own Lens: How Social Impact Practitioners Should Approach Learning (Part 2)

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  Throughout my time covering South Korea's social impact landscape, I noticed a striking common denominator among most practitioners: an earnest thirst to study and grow. From an outside perspective, working in social impact might appear straightforward or driven merely by goodwill. In reality, it demands rigorous professionalism. Furthermore, with related policies, regulations, and institutional frameworks constantly shifting, ongoing learning is indispensable.   <Read 1 Part first> Why Social Impact Practitioners Must Keep Studying: The Case for Lifelong Learning (Part 1)   Yet many practitioners find themselves submerged in daily operations, struggling to carve out dedicated time for professional development. Because authentic learning is not something that can be achieved through short-lived sprints, taking that very first step often feels overwhelming. On top of that, many are left wondering where to begin or which institutions offer meaningful learnin...
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