Inside Korea’s Social Impact

Scene from the “Social and Solidarity Economy Policy and Budget Direction Forum” held on May 12, where proposals for the 2027 social and solidarity economy budget and policy direction were discussed (Photo source: Social and Solidarity Economy Korea)   In a previous post, I mentioned that the Korean Ministry of the Interior and Safety secured KRW 11.8 billion (approximately USD 8.5 million) in support funding for the social and solidarity economy (SSE) sector in 2026. Although this amount increased compared to the previous year, many people in the field point out that it is still far below the level seen in 2022, when the sector was more actively supported.   Now, people working in Korea’s social and solidarity economy sector are beginning to present their opinions on the direction of policies and budgets for next year (2027). In today’s post, I would like to summarize the proposals discussed by practitioners during the “2027 Social and Solidarity Economy Policy and Budget...

Nahyunhong, a community leader running a social economy network in Korea (Photo courtesy of Nahyunhong)   In the previous article, we explored how “connection” takes shape in the field of social economy and social innovation through an interview with Na Hyunhong, a community expert working in Korea’s social impact sector. We examined how online communities and open chat rooms — relatively lightweight formats — have expanded into nationwide networks. 👀Read Part 1 of the Interview The Power That Connects Korea’s Social Economy Ecosystem: Community Expert Interview (Part 1) In this second installment, we take a step further through Na Hyunhong’s interview to examine what connection truly means on the ground. We look more closely at the principles and philosophies that guide community building, as well as what is needed for Korea’s social impact ecosystem to grow sustainably. Going beyond the idea of community as simply a gathering space, this interview asks how communities actually...