[Interview] Reflecting on Identity: Moving Forward with Conviction (Part 2)

 'Identity' is by no means a lightweight word. It signifies the unchanging essence of existence—a term carrying profound weight and one that demands clear understanding.

 

Understanding identity is equally vital in the social and solidarity economy (SSE), because a clear sense of identity empowers us to move forward with resilience and purpose.

 

This article is the second part of the interview with a South Korean SSE expert on why we must continuously reflect on our identity. I hope this conversation offers meaningful insights to everyone exploring their own identity and purpose.

 

Minsoo Kang, Executive Director of the Korea Social Solidarity Economy Alliance (Photo by Milly)

Interviewee: Minsoo Kang, Executive Director of the Korea Social Solidarity Economy Alliance

 

👉👉Read Part 1 First

[Interview] Questioning the Identity of South Korea's Social and Solidarity Economy (Part 1)

 

Q: In the past, the social economy focused primarily on welfare models such as poverty alleviation and job creation. How is South Korea's SSE evolving today?🍎

 

A: As mentioned in Part 1, our recent name change from the 'Korea Social Economy Alliance' to the 'Korea Social Solidarity Economy Alliance' reflects this evolution.

 

South Korea's modern social economy (then referred to simply as the 'social economy') began in the aftermath of the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis as 'self-sufficiency enterprises' designed to tackle unemployment among vulnerable groups. In 2007 and 2008, it expanded under the formal banner of 'social enterprises' to generate broader social value. If that past era was SSE 1.0, what lies ahead is SSE 2.0.

 

In SSE 2.0, I hope to see diverse citizen economies, village economies, and social economies collaborate under the shared umbrella of the Social and Solidarity Economy, regardless of organizational legal forms. For instance, in an energy transition project tackling the climate crisis through solar power, citizens become cooperative members, a social enterprise manages construction, a self-sufficiency enterprise handles ongoing maintenance, and a credit union provides financing. Regardless of organizational structure, diverse actors unite around the core mission of solving societal problems to create meaningful social impact. That collaborative ecosystem represents SSE 2.0.

 

Q: What key aspect of South Korea's SSE history or development would you recommend that global social impact practitioners study?🍒

 

A: Consumer cooperatives, medical social cooperatives, citizen renewable energy cooperatives, and solar income villages are all vital models born out of local residents' direct needs. They offer compelling case studies in healthcare, elder care, sustainable food systems, and energy transition.

 

The consumer cooperative movement in Korea is particularly noteworthy. During rapid industrialization, South Korea experienced rapid de-agriculturalization, leading to rural decline and the collapse of farming communities. Consumer cooperatives emerged as a citizen-led solution, creating a direct urban-rural solidarity model where urban consumers receive stable supplies of safe produce while sustaining local farming communities.

 

Medical cooperatives operate on a similar principle. While mainstream Korean healthcare centers largely around treatment after illness occurs, medical cooperatives emphasize preventative care and community health. Likewise, citizen energy cooperatives and solar villages were created to address regional community needs. These practical grassroots innovations are well worth exploring for international practitioners.

 

Regarding historical traditions like Gye (mutual credit associations), Dure (collective farming labor), and Hyangyak (community compacts) discussed in Part 1, while there may not be a direct organizational line, the underlying spirit persists. For example, 'Gye' was not merely a labor pool; it was a mutual credit system where resource-constrained individuals pooled capital to address shared challenges. Historically, marginalized groups maintained rural society through mutual solidarity, and that communal impulse remains deeply rooted in our collective memory. As Korea shifted to an industrial society, those traditions did not vanish; rather, this community-centric heritage serves as a cultural foundation enabling rapid social innovation today.

 

Q: Why must practitioners in the social economy and impact sector continuously question their identity?🍑

 

A: Identity is the unchanging essence of what we do. We examine our identity because we cannot embark on meaningful collective work with people or concepts we lack conviction in. Why do we reflect on 'our' collective identity? Because we believe we share common ground. Our identity lies in how we define ourselves. We define the social and solidarity economy as democratic, mission-driven economic activity that does not exist solely for profit but solves complex societal challenges. Those who share this conviction are 'us.'

 

Q: Do you have a message of encouragement for social impact and SSE practitioners working around the world?🍉

 

A: Human beings are fascinating creatures. We yearn for freedom, yet total freedom on a deserted island is not true freedom—it is isolation. In that sense, humans are inherently social beings. We desire freedom while living in harmony within society. But without society, genuine freedom cannot exist. The prerequisite for freedom is community, yet people often forget this.

 

As long as humans remain social beings, society is essential, and an economy designed for the community will always be necessary. No matter how much individualism dominates, figures who dedicate themselves to human solidarity have always emerged throughout history, and they always will.

 

My message to young changemakers in this sector is this: genuine freedom requires a healthy society. Because humans are social beings, life within society inevitably creates complex challenges. The state and the market exist to solve these issues, but when both state and market fail, the social and solidarity economy is indispensable in bridging those gaps.

 

The specific forms may vary across eras and cultures—whether called Gye, The names and institutional designs change with time, but the enduring human effort to cooperate and sustain society remains constant. As long as practitioners in the social economy share that foundational belief, all other differences are merely minor details.

 

 

Do you have questions for Executive Director Minsoo Kang?

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