Temple in Seoul, South Korea.

Is South Korea Turning Japanese?

Many are worrying that South Korea is headed for the kind of protracted deflation and stagnation that characterized Japan’s two so-called “lost decades.” While the two countries face many of the same problems, South Korea has a distinct advantage: it can learn from Japan what not to do.

SEOUL – South Korea’s recent economic performance has been disappointing. After 40 years of astonishing 7.9% annual GDP growth, the average growth rate dropped to 4.1% in 2000-2010, and has stood at a mere 3% since 2011. This has many wondering whether South Korea is headed for the kind of protracted deflation and stagnation that characterized Japan’s so-called “lost decades,” from which it is just beginning to emerge.

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