Curriculum South Korea's Economy
South Korea's Economy
How South Korea went from war-torn poverty to a rich technology powerhouse: the export drive, heavy industry, education fever, Samsung's chip bet, shipbuilding, reforms after 1997, batteries, long hours, housing debt, the lowest birth rate in the world and ties with India.
- From Ruins to Riches How poor South Korea was after the Korean War, how fast it grew, and why its story is studied as one of history's great economic transformations. 📄 Read-aloud
- Park Chung-hee and the Export Drive How South Korea's government under Park Chung-hee pushed firms to export, using targets, cheap loans and discipline, and the authoritarian side of this model. 📄 Read-aloud
- The Heavy and Chemical Industry Drive How South Korea pushed into steel, shipbuilding, chemicals and cars in the 1970s, the role of POSCO, and the debate about whether this big bet paid off. 📄 Read-aloud
- Education Fever How South Korea's obsession with education built a skilled workforce, and the costs of intense competition, private tutoring and exam pressure. 📄 Read-aloud
- Samsung's Memory Chip Bet How Samsung entered the memory chip business in the 1980s against the odds, became the world leader, and why semiconductors now drive Korea's exports. 📄 Read-aloud
- Korea's Shipyards How Hyundai built a world-class shipyard from scratch in the 1970s, and how Korea became one of the world's top shipbuilders. 📄 Read-aloud
- South Korea's Economy: Checkpoint 1 Quick checkpoint - five questions on Korea's rise, the export drive, heavy industry, education and chips. 5 questions
- Korea's Reforms After 1997 How South Korea restructured its banks and big companies after the 1997 crisis, and how these reforms shaped its later economy. 📄 Read-aloud
- Batteries and the Green Industries How Korean firms like LG, Samsung SDI and SK became major battery makers for electric vehicles, and the competition with China. 📄 Read-aloud
- Long Hours and Low Service Productivity Why South Koreans have worked some of the longest hours in the rich world, the move to cap the work week, and the productivity gap between manufacturing and services. 📄 Read-aloud
- Housing, Jeonse and Household Debt How Korea's unique jeonse rental system works, why Seoul housing prices soared, and why household debt is among the highest in the world. 📄 Read-aloud
- The World's Lowest Birth Rate Why South Korea's fertility rate fell to around 0.7, the economic consequences of a shrinking population, and why spending on incentives has had limited effect. 📄 Read-aloud
- Korea, India and Lessons for Development How Korean firms like Hyundai, Samsung and LG built big businesses in India, what India can learn from Korea, and a recap of the module. 📄 Read-aloud