Conclusion

The Korean Economy examines how Korea’s inward FDI-led globalization, particularly since the financial crisis of 1997, has been experienced, understood, managed and often strongly resisted in various economic, social and cultural domains. It is an in-depth analysis combining perspectives from politics and economics, examining a number of grievances as seen through the eyes of actual foreign investors operating in Korea. The authors argue that it is precisely these obstacles that need to be addressed if Korea is to live up to its full potential in terms of becoming a truly attractive magnet for FDI and comprehensively integrating into the global economy. The authors make a convincing case that the challenges Korea currently faces are by no means limited to institutional and policy reforms, but rather are entrenched in an anti-globalization mindset shared by all sectors of society.