How We Check the Numbers
Korea Economy, Checked tests Korean economic policies and market claims against published data. Every report follows the same structure, so readers can compare reports and see exactly what each conclusion rests on.
What every report contains
- A verdict on the policy or claim, using the scale below
- Key numbers, each with a data-status label and a link to its source
- Counter-evidence — data that cuts against our verdict is reported, not left out
- Who bears the cost — which region, income group or type of household is affected
- Sources, listed at the end with the date we accessed them
Verdict scale
| Verdict | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Effective | The data shows the policy reaching its stated goal |
| Partially effective | Some goals are met, others are not, or effects are uneven across groups |
| Too early to judge | Not enough time or data has passed to assess the policy |
| Not effective | The data does not show progress toward the stated goal |
| Risk of backfiring | The data points to effects opposite to the stated goal |
We judge every government, party and institution by the same standard. A verdict is about a policy's results, not about who proposed it.
Data-status labels
| Label | Meaning |
|---|---|
| verified | We checked the figure against the original publisher (a ministry, the Bank of Korea, Statistics Korea, the Korea Real Estate Board, and similar) |
| reference | The figure was reported by a news outlet or a secondary source, and we could not confirm it at the original publisher |
| estimate | We calculated the figure ourselves; the method is explained in the text |
Only verified figures are used as the basis for a verdict. Reference figures and estimates are shown as context and are labeled as such.
Korean terms and currency
- Korean-specific terms (for example jeonse, the lump-sum deposit lease) are explained the first time they appear in a report.
- Won amounts are shown first, with a US dollar conversion and the exchange-rate date where it helps.
- Many reports are adapted from our Korean-language research. When they are, the Korean original is linked at the end.
Corrections
If a figure, date or source in a report is wrong, email ceo@stargateedu.co.kr with the report title and the correction. When we correct a report, we update its date and add a note at the end describing what changed. We do not remove corrections silently.
Independence
Reports are written and checked by Dongsoo Jung for Stargate Corporation (주식회사 별의문), Seoul. AI tools may help with drafting and translation; every figure and every verdict is checked by a person before publication. Nothing on this page is investment advice.