Reforming Korea's Industrial Conglomerates Author:Edward M. Graham When the Asian financial crisis began in the summer of 1997, almost no one thought that South Korea would be caught up in it. After all, the South Korean economy had been for more than 30 years one of the highest performers in the world. Indeed, this nation, in the early 1960s amongst the worlds poorest and most technologically backward, h... more »ad by 1997 become one of the 20 richest nations on a per capita basis and one of the technologically most advanced. But the Asian financial crisis did affect Koreathe South Korean government had to seek a bailout from the IMF in December 1997, and, during the year that followed, the economy went into deep recession. Moreover, when Koreans sought the reasons for the sudden downturn in their economic fortunes, they found that many of the problems centered on the large industrial conglomerates (the chaebol) that had been at the heart of Korean economic progress. These groups proved to be riddled with excessive debt, low rates of return on investment, and in many cases, bankrupt operations. This book examines the history of the chaebol and their role in creating the "economic miracle" as well as the role that they played in bringing about the 1997 crisis in Korea. Author Edward M. Graham argues that, while substantial reform has been accomplished both within the chaebol and in the Korean economy as a whole, the process is far from complete. Indeed, weaknesses within the industrial groups of Korea persist that could cloud Korea's economic future, despite the impressive rebound that the Korean economy has experienced since 1998. Graham explores the uncorrected weaknesses in depth and lays out the steps that should be now taken.« less