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Is Social Impact in Korea Fragmented?: The Structure of the Social and Solidarity Economy

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  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...
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Korea’s Recycling Culture: The Power of ESG in Everyday Life

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  A few years ago, I saw a foreigner standing in front of several trash bins at a subway station, holding a disposable cup and hesitating. The bins were separated into categories like paper, plastic, and cans, and they seemed unsure where to throw their cup away. A passerby noticed the situation, asked what was wrong, and kindly pointed to the plastic bin.   For me, having been born and raised in Korea, separating waste is something very familiar. When I was young, my mother set up different bins at home for general waste, plastic, cans, and paper. My family naturally followed those rules.   Today, the system has become even more detailed. Waste is categorized into general waste, food waste, plastic, glass, metal (cans), paper, vinyl, and Styrofoam. General waste must be disposed of in designated paid garbage bags, while food waste must go into separate food waste bags or designated containers (which vary by region). Plastic labels must be removed and sorted separ...
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What Does Korea’s Newly Announced 5th Master Plan for Cooperatives Contain?

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  In a previous post, we looked at how Korea has been announcing a “Master Plan for Cooperatives” every three years since the Framework Act on Cooperatives was enacted. We also briefly reviewed the key directions of the 1st through 4th Master Plans.   <Related post> Korea Announces a “Basic Plan for Cooperatives” Every Three Years   Today, I will take a closer look at the contents of the 5th Master Plan for Cooperatives announced by the Korean government on April 6. This plan will be implemented over three years, from 2026 to 2028. The government stated that it expects cooperatives to play a “central role in solving regional problems and strengthening the social safety net.”   (Left) Cooperative establishment scale graph, (Right) Share of workers from vulnerable groups (Source: Ministry of Strategy and Finance) Current Status and Challenges of Cooperatives in Korea   Since the Framework Act on Cooperatives was enacted in 2012, more than 2,0...
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