{"product_id":"9789819554041","title":"South Korea’s Dilemma: Prosperity, Inequality, and the Road Ahead","description":"\u003ch1\u003eSouth Korea’s Dilemma: Prosperity, Inequality, and the Road Ahead\u003c\/h1\u003e\u003ch3\u003eSe-Young Bae\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cb\u003eBusiness \u0026amp; Economics \/ International \/ General\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"en-US\"\u003e\u003cspan data-olk-copy-source=\"MessageBody\"\u003eThis book investigates the policy choices and institutional frameworks that powered South Korea’s remarkable transformation from postwar poverty to a global economic powerhouse, while confronting the mounting structural challenges that now threaten its sustainability. It identifies ten key factors behind Korea’s rapid growth from the 1960s to the 1990s and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"en-US\"\u003eexamines pressing socioeconomic issues, including population aging, declining fertility, high suicide rates, political and economic polarization, early retirement, youth unemployment, and the expansion of private education. The book also analyzes deep inequalities within Korea’s labor market, such as persistent gender wage gaps, disparities between large \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"en-US\"\u003econglomerates and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the divide between regular and non-regular employment, and the heavy reliance on self-employment. Finally, it \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"en-US\"\u003eaddresses critical economic policy challenges, including rising household debt, real estate bubbles, minimum wage debates, inflation, an underdeveloped service sector, an undervalued stock market, inefficiencies in public enterprises and mutual financial cooperatives, a lagging tourism industry, the search for new growth engines, carbon neutrality commitments, and an outdated tax system. Offering fresh insights and concrete policy recommendations, the book highlights both the achievements and the vulnerabilities of Korea’s economic model.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSe-Young Bae\u003c\/strong\u003e is Professor Emeritus of Finance at Konyang University in Nonsan, South Korea, and earned his B.A. from the George Washington University and his M.A. and Ph.D. in Economics from the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. His research focuses on productivity and efficiency measurement, labor market dynamics, and empirical analyses of causality and correlation across various industries and countries. He has received the Best Teaching Award three times and served as Dean of the College of Business and Public Administration at Konyang University.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePublication Date: \u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e20 July 2026\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePublisher: \u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSpringer Nature Singapore\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eImprint: \u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePalgrave Macmillan\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eISBN-13: \u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e9789819554041\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFormat: \u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHardback\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePage Count: \u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e323\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e","brand":"Springer Nature Singapore","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44753590780044,"sku":"9789819554041","price":107.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0710\/9545\/1788\/files\/9789819554041.jpg?v=1781087870","url":"https:\/\/fh90cf-fv.myshopify.com\/products\/9789819554041","provider":"Late Knight Books and Services, LLC","version":"1.0","type":"link"}