The ``Jongdaehyup'' lost its position due to the comfort women agreement - The Japanese and South Korean governments have agreed to establish a foundation.

Photo by Lisy_ (licensed under pixabay)

In a statement distributed in advance of the conference, Professor Ham Joon-ho of Yonsei University Graduate School of International Studies, who served as a member of the Bank of Korea's Financial and Monetary Committee, stated, ``Korea's macro leverage (private and government debt) level has expanded to ２５４% of GDP. ” he pointed out.

The household debt balance has continued to expand for １６ years, reaching a record high of １,８５０.９ trillion won (approximately １７６.９８７１ trillion yen) in the April-June ２０２１ period. According to a study by the Institute of International Finance (IIF), Japan's GDP ratio was １０４.２%, the highest among ３７ major countries and regions. Incidentally, the countries other than South Korea are followed by Hong Kong (９２.０%), the UK (８９.４%), and the US (７９.２%).

On the １５th, the Federal Reserve Board (FRB), the central bank of the United States, announced the first major interest rate hike in about ３０ years. The policy rate will be raised by ０.７５% to a range of １.５０ to １.７５%.

Prior to this, South Korea announced that it would raise its policy interest rate from １.５% to １.７５% in May. The rate was set at １.５% in April, making this the second consecutive month of interest rate hikes. This will also be a severe blow to those who are burdened with household debt.

South Korea's per capita GDP is approaching that of Japan. According to the ２０２１ IMF announcement, Japan's price is $３９,３４０ and South Korea's price is $３４,８０１. However, Japan's household debt is around ６６-７%.

Housing loans are the largest component of household debt. The skyrocketing price of land in Seoul continues to skyrocket, forcing many to borrow large sums of money to purchase apartments. As a result, even if GDP and wages rise, most of the money goes toward repaying household debts, resulting in less disposable income. I don't have any money to spend.

Even after salaries are paid, the money goes straight through the tunnel and is returned to financial institutions, where it is returned to the market. This is the reality of GDP per capita in the Korean economy.

As the coronavirus pandemic begins to subside and overseas travel is gradually lifted, travel to Japan is expected to become a boom again in South Korea. It's not that they like Japan. The above reasons are largely responsible for why Japan is chosen as a nearby travel destination.

And just because you come to Japan doesn't mean you have to spend money. There are quite a few groups that find faults, point them out, and complain to each other. It is said that Korean tourists just have bad manners.