Inside Korea’s Social Impact

  In this blog, I have previously mentioned the development and role of cooperatives in Korea. In today’s post, I would like to write about how cooperatives can play a role in solving social problems and introduce several examples.   📌Cooperatives Are Not Just Business Organizations   Most people think of cooperatives simply as business organizations. This is also the case in Korea. Rather than pursuing only individual profit, some people establish cooperatives as a way of doing business that pursues shared benefits and collective values.   On the other hand, there are also cases where cooperatives are established in order to run businesses that aim to solve social problems. For example, socially disadvantaged groups such as people with disabilities or older adults may form cooperatives and run businesses together, allowing them to continue sustainable social activities.   In addition, cooperatives are sometimes highlighted as a direct way to ad...

  Cooperatives are organizations formed by their members. Naturally, they operate on the principles of solidarity and cooperation among members while engaging in market activities and addressing social problems. However, although they take the form of cooperatives, many operate similarly to small social economy enterprises. Because of this, individual cooperatives often face limitations in terms of market influence.   For this reason, the importance of cooperation between cooperatives has been increasingly emphasized in Korea. When cooperatives collaborate, they can carry out joint projects, organize collective purchasing, and respond more effectively to policy issues. Through such cooperation, cooperatives can gradually grow and strengthen their impact.   Scene from the Vision Declaration Ceremony of the Inter-Sectoral Cooperative Federation for People with Developmental Disabilities, founded in 2023.(Photo by Milly)  👉In the Past, Institutional Barriers Li...

  South Korea is facing multiple, overlapping social challenges, including regional depopulation, low birth rates and population aging, care crises, and the climate emergency. The social solidarity economy has often been discussed as a way to address these issues through business and market-based solutions. However, in Part 2 of this interview with Kim Wang-young, we take a slightly different perspective — one that moves beyond conventional expectations of how social problems should be “solved.”   Kim argues that the role of the social solidarity economy is not limited to encouraging consumers to purchase socially driven products or services. Instead, he emphasizes the importance of enabling citizens themselves to become active participants in addressing social challenges — learning together, engaging in dialogue, and collectively organizing responses. The capacities built through this process, he explains, can become a foundation that sustains society and offers a more fu...

  [Editor’s Note🖉] Korea’s cooperative movement and social and solidarity economy have grown rapidly over a relatively short period of time, supported by legal and institutional frameworks. Since the enactment of the Framework Act on Cooperatives in 2012, cooperatives have expanded steadily across various sectors, evolving beyond a single organizational form.   Today, however, the central question is shifting — from “How many cooperatives have been created?” to “How well are they actually functioning?” The focus is moving away from quantitative growth toward qualitative maturity.   This interview captures the perspective of Kim Wang-young, CEO of CoopBiz Cooperative, who has long engaged with cooperatives and the social and solidarity economy through the lens of education. As both a young practitioner and a long-time participant in the field, he offers candid reflections from on-the-ground experience. Rather than focusing solely on institutional outcomes or busin...

Cooperatives redefine the meaning of our lives. Photo from the International Day of Cooperatives held last July.(Photo by Milly)  Cooperatives in Korea are more than just part of the social economy . They embody a philosophy — a search for how to live and work together.   The Rise of Cooperatives   Since the enactment of the Framework Act on Cooperatives in 2012 , more than 20,000 cooperatives have been established in Korea within just a decade. (As of 2022, the number reached 23,939.) This rapid growth reflects a growing awareness that the market-centered system alone cannot fully address the needs of local communities or solve complex social problems.   People First : The Core Principle   In a cooperative, members are the owners, and people — not profit — come first. Members are both consumers and producers, workers and decision-makers. Among the most important principles is participation. Even if it takes more time, cooperatives value collect...