The goal of the nation is to overcome problems rooted in the past by creating an economic structure suitable for an advanced economy.

Korea, once known to be one of the world's poorest agrarian societies, has undertaken economic development in earnest since 1962

many successful development programs were implemented. As a result, from 1962 to 2006, Korea's Gross National Income (GNI) increased from US$2.3 billion to US$887.3 billion, with its per capita GNI soaring from $87 to about $18,372.