Over the past half-century, Korea has achieved remarkable economic growth. Yet behind this success lie a number of emerging challenges — inequality, environmental degradation, rural decline, and the growing issues of low birthrate and an aging population.   These problems are too complex to be solved by the government or large corporations alone. As awareness of this reality spread, new groups of people began to explore innovative ways to address social problems. They are the social innovators .   Social Economy vs. Social Ventures   Korea’s social economy can be broadly categorized into five types: cooperatives , village enterprises , social enterprises , self-sufficiency enterprises , and social ventures. These organizations all pursue both profit and purpose — creating social value through business activities.   Among them, social ventures stand out. Unlike traditional social economy organizations such as cooperatives or village enterprise...

A few years ago, a self-sufficiency enterprise provided services for a client struggling with hoarding disorder.(Photo by Milly)    Among the many social economy organizations in South Korea, there is one type of enterprise that stands out — the Self-Support Enterprise .   The word “ jahwal ” ( 자활 ) in Korean means “to live independently by one’s own efforts.” A self-support enterprise is a business jointly operated by people who are low-income earners or recipients of the National Basic Livelihood Security Program , working together to overcome poverty and achieve self-reliance.   Unlike most social enterprises that pursue social value while generating profits, self-support enterprises exist for a deeper purpose: they help people move from being beneficiaries of welfare to becoming active contributors to their communities.   In short, they transform people from “those who receive help” into “those who give help.”   The Beginning of Self-Supp...

  "Can a nonprofit organization rely solely on good intentions to ensure sustainability?"   Korean nonprofit organizations are actively working at the forefront of social problem-solving. Yet internally, they still face deep questions about governance.   In the context of nonprofits, governance is more than just how a board operates or how decisions are made. It reflects the relational structure of an organization — how decisions are made together, responsibilities are shared, and trust is built. I participate in a nonprofit governance research group. The photo shows materials published by the research group I’m involved in.(Photo by Milly)  Key Issues in Governance of Korean Nonprofits   In nonprofits, “how we work together” often matters more than “what we do.”   Korean nonprofits exist in various forms, including foundations, associations, civic organizations, and social cooperatives. Legally, most are structured around a board of directo...