Lee Jong-Wha, Professor of Economics and Director of the Asiatic Research Institute at Korea University, served as Chief Economist and Head of the Office of Regional Economic Integration at the Asian Development Bank and was a senior adviser for international economic affairs to former President Lee Myung-bak of South Korea. His most recent book, co-authored with Harvard’s Robert J. Barro, is Education Matters: Global Gains from the 19th to the 21st Century.
South Korea is facing major demographic challenges, rooted in an ultra-low fertility rate. With the population shrinking and aging, the government is trying to boost fertility, but it isn't going near… read more
While China's economic development has been exceptional in many ways, its growth trajectory resembles that of Japan and South Korea. If China is to manage the challenges it currently faces – in partic… read more
The central banks of major advanced economies have been navigating uncharted territory in recent years, deploying a range of unconventional monetary-policy tools that have had benefits, but have not s… read more
The emerging economies – which just a few years ago were being hailed for their resilience in the face of a global economic meltdown – are now facing myriad economic challenges, reflected in signific… read more
Over the last three decades, significant gains in workforce size and quality helped Asia to sustain rapid progress toward advanced-economy income levels and living standards. But with workers increasi… read more
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 … read more
Pundits love debating the Chinese economy’s growth prospects, and nowadays the pessimists are gaining the upper hand. But many are basing their predictions on other economies’ experiences, whereas Chi… read more
Asians have been watching the Greek debt crisis unfold with a mixture of envy and schadenfreude. When they experienced their own financial crisis in 1997, they were offered far less external aid and f… read more
By the end of this year, the IMF will decide whether the Chinese renminbi will join the euro, the Japanese yen, the British pound, and the US dollar in the basket of currencies that determines the val… read more
