Inside South Korea’s Social Impact

  South Korea’s social solidarity economy has developed at a rapid pace. This was made possible largely because of public support. By formulating policies and investing public budgets, the current ecosystem of the social solidarity economy was able to take shape. However, while this growth environment may contribute to rapid advancement in the short term, over the long term, it has also created a reality where the sector can easily shrink or expand depending on policy shifts.   Recently, Gyeonggi Province announced plans to abolish its Social Innovation Economy Bureau — which had overseen social solidarity economy policies across the province — and drastically cut the related budget for the coming year. The frontline sector immediately pushed back. Grassroots stakeholder organizations in Gyeonggi issued joint statements, and nationwide network organizations released statements calling for a reconsideration. Even lawmakers from the ruling party issued a statement urging the...

  While my professional background spans journalism, writing, and editorial work, my undergraduate major was actually social welfare. Perhaps because of this foundation, I have always held a deep interest in marginalized communities, social change, and changemakers. It is also the very reason I have remained in the social sector to this day, reporting from the field and writing stories.   In this piece, I want to take a moment to reflect on how my perspective has evolved through my work in the nonprofit and social impact sector. It is a reflection on how my mindset has changed from when I first started to now, having spent nearly a decade immersed in South Korea's social impact and social solidarity economy ecosystems.   Systems Must Come Before Passion🌞   When I first started out as a social sector reporter, I was constantly busy. Beneath the broad umbrella of "social impact," various domains — such as community finance, housing, the environment, caregi...

  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...