Hungary can learn from Korea's state-led economic growth model, expert says

Zoltan Pogatsa, a professor at the University of Sopron, said at a seminar in Seoul on Thursday that Hungary could learn from Korea’s state-led economic development model. He argued that Hungary’s reliance on foreign investment has constrained domestic brands and supply-chain control, while government support helped Korean companies build globally recognized brands. Pogatsa also cited Korea’s innovation and education performance as factors in its economic success. The seminar highlighted economic ties between the countries, with Korea identified as Hungary’s third-largest foreign investor.

Hungary relied heavily on foreign direct investment after gaining autonomy over its economic policies following the end of Soviet domination, while Korea took on substantial debt to subsidize domestic firms.

Pogatsa said Hungary invests relatively little in education compared with Korea.

Pogatsa said Hungary’s economic output per capita has historically been slightly above the global average, while Korea developed from a relatively poor country into an advanced economy and overtook Japan in GDP per capita.

Around 30 people attended the seminar, including Hong Kyu-dok, a former Korean ambassador to Hungary, and Istvan Medvigy, director of the Hungarian Cultural Center Seoul.

Hong said approximately 360 Korean companies operate in Hungary and described the countries’ aspiration to build a lasting framework for cooperation.

Published Oct 26, 2026 10:41 am KST

Updated Oct 26, 2026 11:13 am KST

Participants to the Hungary's Economic Strategy: Lessons from Korea's Development Experience seminar pose at Sookmyung Women's University in Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of Sookmyung Women's University

Korea's state-led economic development model offers important lessons for Hungary, which has relied heavily on foreign direct investment (FDI) to drive economic growth, according to a Hungarian expert.

Zoltan Pogatsa, a professor at the University of Sopron in Hungary, made the remarks during a seminar titled Hungary's Economic Strategy: Lessons from Korea's Development Experience, held at Sookmyung Women's University in Seoul on Thursday.

Pogatsa highlighted the contrasting economic development paths of the two countries, noting that Hungary has relied heavily on FDI since gaining autonomy over its economic policies following the end of Soviet domination, while Korea pursued a state-led development model, taking on substantial debt to subsidize domestic firms.

With an FDI development strategy, Pogatsa argued that Hungary has limited its ability to develop globally competitive domestic brands and control its own supply chains, while Korea's strong government intervention to support domestic companies helped the country establish globally recognized brands such as Samsung and Hyundai.

He also pointed to Korea's strong performance in innovation and education as key factors behind its economic success, contrasting it with Hungary's relatively low investment in education.

While Hungary has historically maintained economic output per capita slightly above the global average, Korea has transformed itself from a relatively poor country into one of the world's advanced economies, even overtaking Japan in terms of gross domestic product per capita, he said.

"The state is incredibly important," Pogatsa said, emphasizing Hungary should reconsider its reliance on foreign investment and learn from Korea's experience in building globally competitive domestic industries.

The seminar brought together around 30 participants, including Hong Kyu-dok, former Korean ambassador to Hungary and Istvan Medvigy, director of the Hungarian Cultural Center Seoul.

Hong highlighted the growing economic partnership between the two countries, noting that Korea is Hungary's third-largest foreign investor, with approximately 360 Korean companies operating there.

"Our ultimate aspiration is to establish a lasting framework of cooperation through which both countries can learn from one another and achieve greater prosperity together," he said.

索普朗大学教授佐尔坦·波加察周四在首尔举行的一次研讨会上表示，匈牙利可以借鉴韩国以国家为主导的经济发展模式。他认为，匈牙利对外国投资的依赖限制了本土品牌的发展和供应链的掌控，而政府的支持则帮助韩国企业打造了全球知名品牌。波加察还指出，韩国的创新和教育成就也是其经济成功的重要因素。此次研讨会重点讨论了两国之间的经济联系，韩国是匈牙利的第三大外国投资来源国。

匈牙利在结束苏联统治后获得了经济政策自主权，因此严重依赖外国直接投资；而韩国则背负了大量债务来补贴国内企业。

波加察表示，与韩国相比，匈牙利在教育方面的投入相对较少。

波加察表示，匈牙利的人均经济产出历来略高于全球平均水平，而韩国则从一个相对贫穷的国家发展成为一个发达经济体，并在人均GDP方面超过了日本。

约有 30 人参加了研讨会，其中包括韩国前驻匈牙利大使洪奎德和匈牙利首尔文化中心主任伊斯特万·梅德维吉。

洪表示，约有360家韩国公司在匈牙利开展业务，并描述了两国建立持久合作框架的愿望。

发布于2026年10月26日上午10:41（韩国标准时间）

更新于2026年10月26日上午11:13（韩国标准时间）

周四，参加“匈牙利经济战略：韩国发展经验的启示”研讨会的学员在首尔淑明女子大学合影。图片由淑明女子大学提供。

一位匈牙利专家表示，韩国以国家为主导的经济发展模式可以为严重依赖外国直接投资（FDI）推动经济增长的匈牙利提供重要的借鉴。

匈牙利索普朗大学教授佐尔坦·波加察周四在首尔淑明女子大学举行的题为“匈牙利的经济战略：韩国发展经验的教训”的研讨会上发表了上述言论。

波加察强调了两国截然不同的经济发展道路，指出匈牙利自苏联统治结束后获得经济政策自主权以来，一直严重依赖外国直接投资，而韩国则奉行国家主导的发展模式，承担了大量债务来补贴国内企业。

波加察认为，匈牙利的外国直接投资发展战略限制了其发展具有全球竞争力的本土品牌和控制自身供应链的能力，而韩国政府大力支持本土企业，帮助该国建立了三星和现代等全球知名品牌。

他还指出，韩国在创新和教育方面的强劲表现是其经济成功的关键因素，并以此与匈牙利在教育方面相对较低的投入进行了对比。

他表示，虽然匈牙利历来保持着略高于全球平均水平的人均经济产出，但韩国已经从一个相对贫穷的国家转型成为世界发达经济体之一，甚至在人均国内生产总值方面超过了日本。

“国家极其重要，”波加察说，并强调匈牙利应该重新考虑其对外国投资的依赖，并学习韩国在建设具有全球竞争力的国内产业方面的经验。

研讨会汇聚了约 30 名参与者，其中包括韩国前驻匈牙利大使洪奎德和匈牙利首尔文化中心主任伊斯特万·梅德维吉。

洪强调了两国日益增长的经济伙伴关系，并指出韩国是匈牙利第三大外国投资者，约有 360 家韩国公司在匈牙利开展业务。

他说：“我们的最终愿望是建立一个持久的合作框架，通过这个框架，两国可以互相学习，共同实现更大的繁荣。”