Mexico and South Korea: Contrasting Paths of Economic Growth

In the book "El Crecimiento Económico de Corea del Sur y México: Balance Actualizado," Daniel Flores Curiel aims to elucidate the recent economic growth of South Korea compared to Mexico.

Daniel Flores Curiel, a research professor at the UANL School of Economics, introduced his book “El Crecimiento Económico de Corea del Sur y México: Balance Actualizado”.

Through this book, the author endeavors to elucidate and disseminate the successful economic growth experienced by South Korea in recent years, highlighting key lessons that could be replicated in Mexico.

In 1960, Mexico boasted a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) four times larger than that of South Korea. However, in recent years, thanks to a reduction in socio-political tensions with its northern neighbor, North Korea, South Korea has not only caught up with Mexico but has also surpassed it, propelled by exponential economic growth.

Flores Curiel stated that the genesis of the book stemmed from inquiries into South Korea’s remarkable growth trajectory since 1980, coupled with the presumption that the nation might have emulated the Asian model concerning investment practices.

“I wrote the book aiming to address numerous inquiries that arose regarding the growth of South Korea. My contemplations revolved around what the outcome might have been if we had adopted similar strategies to Korea, both in terms of pandemic management and investment approaches. That was the primary purpose behind this book.”

Daniel Flores Curiel
UANL Researcher

The book comprises six chapters, each delving into crucial aspects of both the Korean and Mexican economies. It underscores the significance of indicators such as human capital, physical capital, and the investment required for integrating physical capital.

Up-to-Date Perspectives

The re-release of this book, originally published in 2018, elucidates the diverse economic changes and challenges encountered by both countries in recent years. These range from alterations in the economic structure to the security measures implemented by each nation in response to the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It had been five years since the publication of my last book, and I was eager to gauge whether we were converging with or diverging from South Korea,” he remarked.

The presentation of “El Crecimiento Económico de Corea del Sur y México: Balance Actualizado” occurred in the auditorium of the School of Economics, where economists Lourdes Dieck and Everardo Elizondo provided insights and offered specific commentary on the significance of this work.