South Korea's Economy in 2019/20: Slow Recovery, Growing Social Expenditure and the Fourth Industrial Revolution

Abstract

South Korea's gross domestic product (GDP) growth was projected to recover to 2.3% in 2020 from 2.0% in 2019, aided by the recovery in the price of semiconductors. The manufacturing sector is South Korea's most important sector for the highly export-dependent economy. China remains the top trading partner, but Vietnam has rapidly risen to become the third-largest export and the seventh-largest import market. South Korea plans to be ahead in the fourth industrial revolution by investing in data technologies, artificial intelligence and bio-health. The challenge is to manage both its industrial transition and social welfare expenditure while the young population continues to decline.