{
  "id": 18083238,
  "title": "More productive, attractive regions outside Seoul key to sustaining growth: OECD officials",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/04/more-productive-attractive-regions-outside-seoul-key-to-sustaining-18083238",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-04T07:12:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/20261104/more-productive-attractive-regions-outside-seoul-key-to-sustaining-growth-oecd-officials"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) officials have emphasized the importance of increasing productivity and attractiveness in regions outside of Seoul to maintain economic growth and tackle demographic issues in Korea. Lamia Kamal-Chaoui, the director of the Center for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions, and Cities at the OECD, shared insights with the Yonhap News Agency about the organization's observations regarding the Korean situation.\n\nKamal-Chaoui highlighted that despite the heavy concentration of people and economic activity in Seoul, Korea's regional disparities in GDP per capita are among the smallest in the OECD. In fact, the capital region accounts for the largest share of the country's economy. She noted, \"You have the largest concentration of the capital region across the OECD,\" emphasizing the unique nature of Korea's economic distribution.\n\nThe OECD director further explained that the success of Korea's economic growth has come with a level of regional disparities that is the lowest among the lowest in the OECD. This achievement, however, prompts a broader discussion beyond economic growth. It raises questions about whether the concentration of economic activity in Seoul is sustainable in the long run.",
  "summary": "Korea needs to boost productivity in regions outside the capital area and make them more attractive places to live as it seeks to sustain economic growth and address demographic challenges, officials at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) said Wednesday. Lamia Kamal-Chaoui, director of the Center for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities at the Paris-based…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Yonhap News",
        "title": "(Yonhap Interview) More productive, attractive regions outside Seoul key to sustaining growth: OECD officials",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/04/yonhap-interview-more-productive-attractive-regions-outside-seoul-key",
        "published": "2026-11-04T06:15:44.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}