The Korean economy has dropped to the 12th in the world when measured by GDP and may fall even further if current economic trends continue:

Korea has been overtaken by Brazil to settle in 12th place worldwide in terms of GDP. After ceding 10th place to India in 2004, Korea has again slipped down the ranks. "Korea in the World as Seen through Statistics", an annual report published by the National Statistical Office on Monday, says Korea raked 12th with GDP rising 15.7 percent from the previous year to US$787.5 billion in 2005. Brazil, which ranked 15th in 2004, saw its GDP jump 31.8 percent to come in 11th place with a GDP of $796.1 billion. While Brazil improved its economic status by four notches since President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva took office in early 2003, Korea took two steps down after the Roh Moo-hyun administration came to power.

The country will find it hard to cling to 12th place too. Mexico in 13th with $768.4 billion is stagnating, but Russia in 14th with $763.6 billion and Australia in 15th with $708.1 billion are coming on strong. Russia lagged behind Korea by as much as $201.4 billion in 2002, but the gap narrowed to $23.9 billion last year.

Global GDP Rankings


Let's see the economy is dropping by GDP measurements, economic growth is not meeting expectations, household debts in Korea are at all time highs, and the Korean tax payer is about to under take the burden of a huge tax increase of nearly $500 per person due to the war time control transfer. What does this all mean? It means sell the Hyundai stock quickly.


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I am not sure that it is all that bad. There were still some growth in the economy. It is expected that countries such as India, Russia, and Brazil to have a higher GDP if you think in term of population and land areas. Korea is a very small country compare to them.