CWB in South Korea: TDC signs MoU with The Hope Institute
July 31, 2025
The Democracy Collaborative and The Hope Institute have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU), solidifying the longstanding cooperation between the two organizations.
TDC’s Global Lead for Community Wealth Building, Neil McInroy, and The Hope Institute’s Chief Director, EunKyung Lee, signed the document this week. The representatives met in Scotland as part of another CWB visit to Britain by a South Korean delegation.
“Our collaboration with The Hope Institute builds a bridge between local innovation and global economic democracy. Together, we’re equipping South Korean municipalities with anchor-institution strategies, co-designed policy frameworks, and a living network of peers pursuing shared prosperity.”
- Neil McInroy, Global Lead for CWB, The Democracy Collaborative
“This partnership reframes wealth not as an extractive resource but as a shared asset that communities and local municipalities can steward together. Through joint research, learning exchanges, and pilot projects, we’re laying the groundwork for a truly participatory economy in South Korea.”
- EunKyung Lee, Chief Director, The Hope Institute
This visit coincides with the publication of a joint paper, The Case for Community Wealth Building in South Korea.
The MoU highlights the commitment of both organizations to advancing Community Wealth Building (CWB) as a strategy for inclusive, democratic and sustainable local economies. And it establishes a framework for collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and network building around Community Wealth Building in South Korea and beyond.
“This MoU with the Hope Institute, represents an extraordinary opportunity to add South Korea’s experience with new models of economic development into the global exchange of knowledge on Community Wealth Building—ensuring that innovation, tools, and best practices flow across borders and empower the movement to democratize our economies everywhere.”
- Joe Guinan, President, The Democracy Collaborative
The MoU also formalizes both parties’ commitment to co-developing research, policy tools, and practitioner networks that advance CWB’s five core principles in diverse municipal contexts.
