World Tour 7: Getting entrepreneurial in Korea

This week’s stop on our world tour - Korea. A country divided into two very different power structures since the end of WWII. Today South Korea is the maker of some of the world’s favorite exports – from Samsung TV’s to BTS. But 75 years ago it was a much different story. How the textile industry and a partnership with Bangladesh lifted the country out of poverty and paved the way for rapid economic growth. Then later in this episode – how entrepreneurial endeavors look different on the other side of the 38th parallel. We’ll follow a woman who started her own small business selling goods in North Korea. How are the Donju, members of the affluent entrepreneurial class, faring and can capitalism exist in a highly restrictive socialist society? Featured Episodes: - Richard Nixon, Kimchi and the first clothing factory in Bangladesh (2013) - North Korea's Capitalists (2017) Featured Terms:  - Volatility - Inflation expectations - Capital controls - Austerity *Support:* - NPR+ (sponsor-free listening & bonus episodes) And please click “follow” in your podcast app so you don’t miss an episode. *Read:*  - Our book: Planet Money: A Guide to the Economic Forces That Shape Your Life (Audiobook here) - Our weekly longform Planet Money newsletter - Our weekly Indicator link round-up newsletter *Follow:*  - Instagram - TikTok - YouTube - Facebook *This episode of Planet Money Summer School is hosted by Robert Smith. It was produced by Schuyler Swenson and Sophia Paliza-Carre and edited by Planet Money Executive Producer Alex Goldmark. It was fact-checked by Charlotte Isidore and engineered by Annlie Huang.* Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. Planet Money's perks include bonus episodes and sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy