Inside Korea’s Social Impact

  What is the Social and Solidarity Economy?❓💬   Globally, terms like “social and solidarity economy” or “social impact” are used to describe a broad range of organizations working to solve social problems.   However, Korea is both similar and different. While organizations pursuing social purposes do exist, structurally they are divided into different types. From the outside, it may look like a single ecosystem, but in reality, it is segmented into multiple systems and institutional frameworks.   Differences in Scope Between Overseas and Korea🐣   In Europe and other regions, a wide range of organizations are included within the social and solidarity economy. These include cooperatives, mutual societies, social enterprises, non-profit organizations (NPOs), foundations, and self-help groups.   In other words, both formal and informal economic activities are included, and the focus is on the “social purpose” regardless of whether the org...

  Among South Korea’s 123 national policy agendas under the current administration, one particularly notable inclusion is the Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE). The government adopted “Promoting the Growth of the Social and Solidarity Economy” as Agenda No. 81, which marks a significant shift compared to the previous administration, during which funding for the SSE sector was drastically reduced.   From my personal perspective, public support from the government is necessary to a certain extent when it comes to the Social and Solidarity Economy. This is because the SSE does not merely engage in “business,” but simultaneously pursues solutions to social problems. In doing so, it effectively takes on roles that would otherwise fall under the responsibility of the public sector.   For this reason, the inclusion of the Social and Solidarity Economy in the current government’s national policy agenda carries considerable meaning. It is not simply about being listed as...