Despite being on the frontlines of global strategic fault lines—wedged between a rising China, a declining Japan, a volatile North Korea, and an unpredictable U.S.—South Korean business schools have not moved to embrace geopolitics as a serious academic specialization within their institutions.
Significance. The April 2025 cyber attack on SK Telecom, South Korea's largest mobile carrier, has exposed critical vulnerabilities in the nation's digital infrastructure.
Significance. South Korea’s nuclear power export sector stands at a critical juncture. Major candidates in the upcoming presidential race have now publicly committed to support its growth. The industry is poised for significant acceleration regardless of the electoral outcome.
At first glance, South Korea’s democracy appears resilient. Martial law was imposed, swiftly overturned, and those responsible held to account. Protests were loud, legal, and effective.
Significance. The proposed relocation of South Korea’s National Assembly and presidential office from Seoul to Sejong has re-emerged as a campaign issue ahead of the presidential election.
In whispered conversations amidst executives behind the closed doors of corporate offices; amidst researchers at water fountains in strategy think tanks; and amidst political movers and shakers under the stained flaps of late-night soju tents; a new line of thinking on North Korea is gaining traction.
In his first speech to Congress of his second term, U.S. President Donald Trump turned very briefly to South Korea. Trump claimed that South Korea’s tariffs on U.S. goods are four times higher than those imposed by the United States.
Significance: South Korea’s demographic crisis is the defining challenge of its economic, social and potentially security landscape.
Significance. Foreign investors are rapidly expanding into South Korea’s monthly rental market, which will exacerbate Gen-Z’s existing frustrations with housing affordability. Traditionally reliant on jeonse—a long-term deposit-based rental system—young Koreans now face rising monthly rents as jeonse options dwindle.
In South Korea, two recent airline accidents have intensified concerns over aviation safety, raising questions about the reliability of domestic carriers. As South Korea positions itself as a major travel hub in Northeast Asia, incidents that undermine trust in air travel directly affect its tourism sector.
