South Korea is one of the most remarkable economic success stories of the 20th century. In the space of just a few decades, it has developed a globally connected, technology-savvy society. However, like many other advanced economies, South Korea faces the prospect of slower economic growth in the future, due to challenges such as a rapidly aging population, an inflexible labor market and a heavy reliance on exports relative to domestic consumption.

South Korea has one of the most advanced telecommunications markets in the world and is a leader in the development of telecommunications technologies, including 6G mobile telephony. Industrial production accounts for around 33% of GDP and is growing at around 4.6% a year. Korea’s main industries are electronics, telecommunications, automobile manufacturing, chemicals and shipbuilding.

Just over two-thirds of the country is considered mountainous, so the country’s population mainly resides in lowland areas, where population density is fairly high. Gyeonggi province, located in the northwest of the country and surrounding the capital Seoul, is the most densely populated region.

Most face-to-face market research takes place in Seoul. Although it is generally easier to organize focus groups in Korea than in Japan, most Koreans are still very respectful of age and social seniority, so group composition needs to be carefully considered. Although most Koreans study English at school, they are generally much more comfortable taking part in market research in their mother tongue.