The GSEF recently conducted a mission to South Korea, marked by key events and strategic meetings with local Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) stakeholders. This trip highlighted ambitious initiatives led by Korea and strengthened international alliances in preparation for the Bordeaux GSEF 2025 Forum.

Strengthened mobilization at the National SSE Congress

A major highlight of this mission was participating in Korea's National SSE Congress, an event that brought together elected officials and stakeholders advocating for a national SSE framework law. This platform allowed us to reconnect with longstanding GSEF members and reinforce partnerships aimed at ensuring significant Korean participation in Bordeaux in 2025.

Key partners include the Seoul Metropolitan Government, SSEGOV (the Association of Korean Local Governments for SSE), the SVS Fund (Korea Social Value and Solidarity Foundation), and the Seoul Social Economy Network. As a GSEF founder and host of the first two editions of the Global SSE Forum, the Seoul Metropolitan Government continues to demonstrate its leadership in promoting SSE.

Another significant moment was meeting Mr. Hong Gil Kim, General Director of Social Economy for the Gyeonggi Provincial Government, a region renowned for its ambitious social economy policies.

Youth as Catalysts for Social Innovation

The GSEF was also invited by NEXT-G, the Next Generation of Social Economy in Korea, to participate in the DMZ Open Festival Ecopeace Forum in Gyeonggi Province. NEXT-G, an SSE network created by and for young people in Korea and beyond, fosters youth engagement in transformative initiatives. During a panel discussion titled “Innovation for Peace and Ecology: the case of Asian Young Social Entrepreneurs,” Martin Georges, GSEF Program Coordinator, emphasized the central role of youth in addressing ecological and social crises through SSE solutions. He also highlighted the benefits of local and international economic cooperation to tackle global challenges.
 

This discussion was enriched by exchanges with various youth networks committed to SSE, including NEXT-G, Slow Food Youth Network, Mondragon Team Academy - MTA World, and ICYN-AP (International Cooperatives Youth Network for Asia-Pacific). These conversations laid the groundwork for collaborative efforts through the GSEF SSE Youth Hub in Korea and Asia, particularly with a view toward BordeauxGSEF2025.

A Mission to strengthen opportunities and perspectives

This mission to Korea reaffirms the significance of international alliances for advancing SSE globally. It also sets the stage for an promising Forum GSEF 2025 in Bordeaux, rallying a diverse range of actors and regions around shared values.

The GSEF extends its gratitude to its partners for their invaluable contributions to the success of this mission, including Young Kim from SSEGOV (GSEF Continental Co-Chair for Asia), Reverend Kyong Yong Song, member of the GSEF Advisory Committee, and JinKyung Choi from SVS Fund. Together, we continue to work towards a robust, inclusive, and sustainable SSE.