Inside Korea’s Social Impact

  Cooperatives bring together diverse stakeholders — such as local residents, workers, and consumers — to collectively address shared needs and challenges. In South Korea, cooperatives have offered practical alternatives in areas where public interest and sustainability are essential, including job creation, local economic revitalization, care services, housing, and energy transition. Through principles of democratic governance and collective ownership, cooperatives connect economic activity with social value.   This article is the second installment of an interview with Lee Gi-dae, one of the most prominent cooperative experts in South Korea and Deputy Director of the Research Institute affiliated with CoopBiz Cooperative. In this part, we explore the role of cooperatives in addressing social challenges and the directions needed for their sustainable development. 😎 Read Part 1😊 The Rise of K-Cooperatives: An Interview with Expert Ki-dae Lee (Part 1) A photo of Lee Gi-...

 South Korea’s social economy has grown rapidly over the past decade, largely through government-led support systems. A key turning point came in 2012, when the United Nations designated the year as the International Year of Cooperatives. In the same year, South Korea enacted the Framework Act on Cooperatives, laying the legal foundation for cooperative development. Since then, cooperatives in Korea have continued to grow steadily.   This article features an interview with Lee Gi-dae, a leading expert in the Korean cooperative sector. Lee currently serves as Deputy Director of the Research Institute affiliated with CoopBiz Cooperative, Chairperson of Dream Sharing Social Cooperative, and General Committee Member of the Policy and Institutional Committee of the Korea Social and Solidarity Economy Association. He is also actively involved in SE-ACT (Solidarity Economy in Action), which has been introduced previously on this blog. For clarity and consistency, he will be refer...

Last December, a press conference was held to call for an end to plastic pollution. The banners used at the event were also made of paper.(Photo by Milly)    “What if I were the owner of the supermarket I go to every day?”   Imagine if the place you visit daily to buy groceries wasn’t just a store, but your own store. What if your choices about what to buy and where to shop could positively impact your community, the environment, and people’s lives?   This is the story of Consumer Cooperatives in Korea. Consumer cooperatives are non-profit organizations established under relevant laws to promote consumers’ autonomous, self-reliant, and self-governing cooperative activities, aiming to enhance members’ daily lives and contribute to public welfare and cultural development. Definition of Korean Consumer Cooperatives   Consumer cooperatives in Korea can be categorized into three main types: regional cooperatives, medical cooperatives, and university coope...