small business

Closing a Business in Korea Now Costs $140,000 — So Owners Just Stay Open and Bleed

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Tired middle-aged Korean man standing alone in front of his small empty restaurant at night, closed sign on the door, dim interior light, rain-wet street reflecting neon signs, surrounding storefronts showing for-lease signs, representing South Korea's small business collapse crisis in 2026.

Imagine running a business that’s losing moneyevery single month. You want to close. You need to close. But the cost of shutting down is so highthat you simply can’t afford to quit. This is the reality for hundreds of thousandsof small business owners across South Koreain 2026 — and the numbers tell a devastating story. … Read more