Inside South Korea’s Social Impact

  Last Saturday, I attended a small gathering of young professionals in the social sector. The purpose of the meeting was to explore and discuss how we can build an environment where the current generation of youth can work sustainably without burning out. Ultimately, it was about creating a work environment where the next generation — who will step into the sector when today’s youth become the older generation — can find genuine satisfaction in both their work and life.   Fundamentally, what is needed is clear: more young people must enter the social sector, and a professional environment must be established so that those who join can build long-lasting careers. Achieving this requires mutual effort from both the younger and older generations.   In my previous post, I discussed why young people must enter the social sector and the mindset that youth participating as key decision-makers within organizations should cultivate. In this article, I want to explore what...

  In fact, one of the topics I am most interested in these days is "youth." To put it simply, agreeing that young people's participation must expand and their roles must increase for the social sector to remain sustainable, I have been participating in related gatherings and continuing discussions.  (On a personal note, I actually have a gathering with young people in the social sector scheduled for this Saturday as well.)   The reason I came to focus on this topic is clear. Social challenges such as the climate crisis, digital transformation, new forms of labor, low birth rates, and an aging population are changing rapidly, and the social sector must also quickly capture and nimbly respond to these changes. Moreover, the key decision-making structures of the social sector and non-profit organizations are still often run centered around the older generation. Only when the younger generation can fulfill their roles for the organization's sustainability and mission ...

  Haengbok Joongsim Co-op, which actively operated for 35 years supplying eco-friendly food for healthy eating, turned its final page in 2024. In Parts 1 and 2, we explored the history and values of Haengbok Joongsim Co-op through an interview with Ahn In-sook, former President of the Haengbok Joongsim Federation of Consumer Cooperatives, who made diverse efforts to survive until the very end as president.   Today marks the final interview piece with former President Ahn. Unlike the previous articles, this post contains the philosophy, painful lessons, and suggestions for the future gained through the experience of Haengbok Joongsim Co-op.   👉👉Read Part 1 & 2 first [Interview] Why South Korean Women Built Cooperatives (Part 1)   [Interview] The Values Sustained by Haengbok Joongsim Co-op for 35 Years (Part 2) Ahn In-sook, former President of the Haengbok Joongsim Federation of Consumer Cooperatives .(Photo by Milly) Q. Looking back on the past 35 ye...