The Concentration of Economic Power

🔊

🎧 Iru Helper Note — Open

Korean Helper Widgets whenever you want to hear a Korean term or sentence. Try typing 경제력 집중 현상 (concentration of economic power) or 부의 편중을 완화하다 (to reduce the concentration of wealth) and let your ears audit the economy. 🧾

🌈 The Big Picture

🎨 The Core Economic Power Family

• 경제력 집중 현상 (concentration of economic power) = a broad phenomenon where economic resources and influence gather around a small number of actors.

• 독과점 (monopoly/oligopoly) = one firm or a few firms dominate a market. It is one important cause or expression of economic concentration, but not the whole story.

• 부의 편중 (concentration/skewing of wealth) = wealth leans heavily toward certain individuals, classes, firms, or regions.

• 시장 지배력 (market dominance/market power) = the ability to influence price, supply, access, or trading conditions.

• 소유 구조 (ownership structure) = who owns what, and how ownership is distributed.

• 지배 구조 (governance/control structure) = how decision-making power is organized inside a firm or business group.

• 계열사 (affiliate company) = a company connected to a larger business group.

• 순환 출자 (circular shareholding) = a structure where affiliated firms hold shares in one another, which can strengthen control with limited direct ownership.

• 공정 경쟁 (fair competition) = competition under fair, transparent, and non-discriminatory conditions.

• 경제 민주화 (economic democratization) = a policy idea that seeks fairer distribution of economic opportunity and checks on excessive economic power.

• 규제 (regulation) = rules or administrative controls used to prevent harm, correct imbalance, or preserve fairness.

• 견제 (check/restraint) = limiting excessive power through institutions, law, competition, public scrutiny, or governance reform.

🛠️ How They Work in a Sentence

• 경제력이 소수의 대기업 집단에 집중되면 중소기업의 성장 기회가 줄어들 수 있습니다. (If economic power becomes concentrated in a small number of large business groups, growth opportunities for small and medium-sized firms may decrease.) 🏭
Notes: 소수 = a small number, 대기업 집단 = large business group, 중소기업 = small and medium-sized enterprise, 성장 기회 = growth opportunity.

• 독과점 구조가 심화되면 소비자의 선택권과 가격 경쟁이 약화될 수 있습니다. (If a monopoly/oligopoly structure intensifies, consumer choice and price competition may weaken.) 🛒
Notes: 심화되다 = to intensify, 선택권 = right/ability to choose, 약화되다 = to weaken.

• 정부는 부의 편중을 완화하기 위해 세제 개편과 공정 경쟁 정책을 함께 논의했습니다. (The government discussed tax reform and fair competition policy together in order to reduce wealth concentration.) 🧾
Notes: 완화하다 = to reduce/ease, 세제 개편 = tax system reform, 함께 = together.

🧩 General Formation Rule

• 경제 (economy) + 력 (power/capacity) → 경제력 (economic power)

• 경제력 + 집중 (concentration) → 경제력 집중 (concentration of economic power)

• 시장 (market) + 지배력 (dominance/power) → 시장 지배력 (market dominance)

• 부 (wealth) + 편중 (skewing toward one side) → 부의 편중 (concentration of wealth)

• 공정 (fair) + 경쟁 (competition) → 공정 경쟁 (fair competition)

📚 Cross-check note

🪞 Synonym Alert

• 경제력 집중 (concentration of economic power) vs. 시장 지배력 (market dominance) — the first is broad and structural; the second focuses on power within a market.

• 부의 편중 (concentration/skewing of wealth) vs. 자산 불평등 (asset inequality) — 부의 편중 emphasizes wealth leaning toward one side; 자산 불평등 emphasizes unequal asset ownership.

• 규제 (regulation) vs. 견제 (check/restraint) — 규제 is a rule or control; 견제 is the broader act of limiting excessive power.

• 완화하다 (to ease/reduce) vs. 해소하다 (to resolve/remove) — 완화하다 reduces the severity; 해소하다 suggests solving or removing the problem more fully.

• 경제 민주화 (economic democratization) vs. 복지 확대 (welfare expansion) — related but not identical. Economic democratization focuses on fair economic structure and checks on excessive power; welfare expansion focuses on social support.

⚠️ Pitfalls to Dodge

• ❌ 경제력 집중 = simply “a company is successful” → ✅ It means power and resources are structurally concentrated, often enough to affect competition, opportunity, or policy. 🏢

• ❌ 독과점 = same as 부의 편중 → ✅ 독과점 is about market structure; 부의 편중 is about wealth distribution. ⚖️

• ❌ 규제 always means anti-business punishment → ✅ It can protect fair competition, but 과도한 규제 (excessive regulation) may also create side effects. 🧭

• ❌ 완화하다 and 해소하다 are always interchangeable → ✅ 완화하다 = reduce severity; 해소하다 = resolve more completely. 🌦️

• ❌ Every concentration problem is solved only by taxes → ✅ Policy responses may include competition law, ownership reform, transparency rules, support for smaller firms, and social mobility measures. 🧰

📦

🎯 Practice Hub — The Concentration of Economic Power

 

Welcome to your advanced economic-structure workout! 🏦 This hub helps you practice the vocabulary of concentrated power, market dominance, wealth inequality, ownership control, and policy restraint. By the end, phrases like 경제력 집중 현상 and 부의 편중을 완화하다 should feel like labeled tools, not fog machines in a policy seminar. 🧰

 

🔊 Audio reminder: Use

Korean Helper Widgets whenever you want to hear a sentence or term aloud.

 

📝 Instructions: Fill each blank with the best Korean term. Focus on the difference between market structure, wealth distribution, ownership control, and policy response. Then open the Answer toggle to check the nuance.

 

Exercise 1 — Core Concepts and Structures 🏢

A. 자본과 영향력이 일부 기업에 몰리면 ＿＿＿＿ 현상이 나타납니다.

When capital and influence gather around some firms, concentration of economic power appears. 🏦

Answer

경제력 집중 — This is the broad structural term for concentrated economic power.

B. 한 기업이 공급량과 가격에 큰 영향을 미치면 ＿＿＿＿이 강하다고 봅니다.

If one firm strongly affects supply and price, it is seen as having strong market dominance. 📦

Answer

시장 지배력 — This term focuses on power inside a market.

C. 여러 계열사가 서로 지분을 보유하는 방식은 ＿＿＿＿와 관련됩니다.

A method where affiliates hold shares in one another is related to circular shareholding. 🔁

Answer

순환 출자 — This can strengthen control within a business group.

D. 기업 내부의 의사 결정과 통제 방식을 ＿＿＿＿라고 부릅니다.

The way decision-making and control are organized inside a firm is called governance structure. 🧭

Answer

지배 구조 — This refers to governance/control structure.

E. 대기업 집단에 속한 관련 회사를 ＿＿＿＿라고 합니다.

A related company belonging to a large business group is called an affiliate. 🧩

Answer

계열사 — This means an affiliate company within a group.

F. 소수 기업이 시장을 나누어 지배하면 ＿＿＿＿ 구조가 형성됩니다.

When a few firms divide and dominate a market, an oligopolistic structure forms. 🏭

Answer

과점 — A few firms dominating a market is 과점.

G. 한 기업만 시장을 사실상 장악하면 ＿＿＿＿으로 볼 수 있습니다.

If only one firm effectively controls a market, it can be viewed as a monopoly. 🏢

Answer

독점 — One-firm dominance is 독점.

H. 독점과 과점을 함께 가리키는 정책 용어는 ＿＿＿＿입니다.

The policy term that refers to monopoly and oligopoly together is monopoly/oligopoly. ⚖️

Answer

독과점 — This combines 독점 and 과점.

I. 경제 자원이 특정 지역에만 몰리면 지역 간 ＿＿＿＿이 커질 수 있습니다.

If economic resources gather only in certain regions, regional imbalance can grow. 🗺️

Answer

불균형 — This means imbalance, a common structural-effect term.

J. 경제 구조의 문제를 설명할 때는 개별 사건보다 ＿＿＿＿을 살펴야 합니다.

When explaining problems in the economic structure, one should examine the structure rather than individual incidents. 🔍

Answer

구조 — This lesson is about structural concentration, not just isolated events.

📚

Vocabulary Box

• 경제력 집중 → concentration of economic power

• 시장 지배력 → market dominance

• 순환 출자 → circular shareholding

• 지배 구조 → governance/control structure

• 계열사 → affiliate company

• 과점 → oligopoly

• 독점 → monopoly

• 독과점 → monopoly/oligopoly

• 불균형 → imbalance

• 구조 → structure

Tip 💡 경제력 집중 is the umbrella; 독점, 과점, and 시장 지배력 are market-focused pieces under it.

 

Exercise 2 — Wealth, Inequality, and Opportunity ⚖️

A. 부가 상위 계층에 지나치게 몰리는 현상을 ＿＿＿＿이라고 합니다.

The phenomenon where wealth is excessively concentrated in the upper class is called concentration of wealth. 💰

Answer

부의 편중 — This focuses on wealth distribution, not market structure.

B. 근로 소득의 차이가 커지면 ＿＿＿＿가 확대될 수 있습니다.

If differences in labor income grow, the income gap may widen. 💼

Answer

소득 격차 — This means income gap.

C. 주택과 금융 자산의 차이는 ＿＿＿＿ 문제로 이어질 수 있습니다.

Differences in housing and financial assets can lead to asset inequality. 🏠

Answer

자산 불평등 — This term focuses on unequal asset ownership.

D. 가난한 가정의 청년이 계층을 바꾸기 어려우면 ＿＿＿＿이 낮다고 말합니다.

If young people from poor households find it hard to change class position, social mobility is said to be low. 🪜

Answer

사회 이동성 — This means social mobility.

E. 교육 기회가 한쪽으로 쏠리면 기회의 ＿＿＿＿이 훼손됩니다.

If educational opportunities lean to one side, equality of opportunity is damaged. 🎓

Answer

평등 — The phrase is 기회의 평등, equality of opportunity.

F. 부의 편중은 세대 간 ＿＿＿＿를 강화할 수 있습니다.

Concentration of wealth can strengthen intergenerational inheritance of advantage. 🧬

Answer

대물림 — This means passing something down across generations, often advantage or poverty.

G. 불평등이 커지면 사회적 ＿＿＿＿이 심해질 수 있습니다.

If inequality grows, social conflict may intensify. ⚡

Answer

갈등 — A common effect phrase is 사회적 갈등이 심해지다.

H. 특정 집단만 자본에 접근할 수 있으면 경제적 ＿＿＿＿가 커집니다.

If only certain groups can access capital, economic disparity grows. 📈

Answer

격차 — This means gap/disparity.

I. 정책은 성장뿐 아니라 분배의 ＿＿＿＿도 고려해야 합니다.

Policy should consider not only growth but also fairness in distribution. ⚖️

Answer

공정성 — This means fairness.

J. 자산이 넓게 분산되면 부의 편중이 ＿＿＿＿될 수 있습니다.

If assets are widely distributed, concentration of wealth may be eased. 🌱

Answer

완화 — 완화되다 means to be eased or reduced.

📚

Vocabulary Box

• 부의 편중 → concentration of wealth

• 소득 격차 → income gap

• 자산 불평등 → asset inequality

• 사회 이동성 → social mobility

• 평등 → equality

• 대물림 → intergenerational transmission/inheritance

• 갈등 → conflict

• 격차 → gap/disparity

• 공정성 → fairness

• 완화 → easing/reduction

Tip 💡 부의 편중 is about where wealth goes; 소득 격차 is about earnings; 자산 불평등 is about owned assets.

 

Exercise 3 — Policy Responses and Restraints 🛡️

A. 경제력 집중을 막기 위해 시장 감시와 ＿＿＿＿가 필요합니다.

Market monitoring and regulation are needed to prevent concentration of economic power. 👀

Answer

규제 — This means regulation.

B. 과도한 권한을 제한하는 장치를 ＿＿＿＿ 장치라고 부를 수 있습니다.

A mechanism that limits excessive authority can be called a checking mechanism. 🛡️

Answer

견제 — 견제 장치 means a check/restraint mechanism.

C. 중소기업 지원은 시장 참여자의 ＿＿＿＿을 넓히는 정책입니다.

Support for small and medium-sized firms is a policy that expands market participants’ opportunities. 🌱

Answer

기회 — This focuses on expanding opportunity.

D. 소유 구조를 공개하면 기업 지배의 ＿＿＿＿이 높아집니다.

If ownership structure is disclosed, transparency of corporate control increases. 🔍

Answer

투명성 — This means transparency.

E. 공정 경쟁을 ＿＿＿＿하려면 진입 장벽을 낮춰야 합니다.

To promote fair competition, entry barriers should be lowered. 🚪

Answer

촉진 — 촉진하다 means to promote/facilitate.

F. 부당한 내부 거래를 막는 것은 경제력 집중을 ＿＿＿＿하는 방법입니다.

Preventing unfair internal transactions is one method of restraining concentration of economic power. 🚧

Answer

억제 — This means to suppress or restrain growth of a problem.

G. 세제 개편은 부의 편중을 ＿＿＿＿하기 위한 수단이 될 수 있습니다.

Tax reform can be a means to ease concentration of wealth. 🧾

Answer

완화 — This means reducing severity.

H. 공시 제도는 투자자와 소비자의 정보 ＿＿＿＿을 높입니다.

Disclosure systems improve information accessibility for investors and consumers. 📑

Answer

접근성 — This means accessibility.

I. 기업의 위법 행위를 발견하면 감독 기관이 조사를 ＿＿＿＿합니다.

If illegal conduct by a firm is found, the supervisory agency conducts an investigation. 🏛️

Answer

실시 — 조사를 실시하다 means to conduct an investigation.

J. 경제 민주화는 경제적 권력이 한쪽으로 쏠리지 않도록 ＿＿＿＿를 강화하려는 생각입니다.

Economic democratization is an idea that seeks to strengthen checks so economic power does not lean to one side. 🗳️

Answer

견제 — This reinforces the “checking excessive power” meaning.

📚

Vocabulary Box

• 규제 → regulation

• 견제 → check/restraint

• 기회 → opportunity

• 투명성 → transparency

• 촉진 → promotion/facilitation

• 억제 → suppression/restraint

• 완화 → easing/reduction

• 접근성 → accessibility

• 실시 → implementation/conducting

• 경제 민주화 → economic democratization

Tip 💡 Policy verbs differ in strength: 촉진하다 encourages, 완화하다 eases, 억제하다 restrains, and 견제하다 checks excessive power.

 

Exercise 4 — Cause and Effect Sentences 📈

A. 플랫폼 기업이 데이터를 독점하면 시장 진입 ＿＿＿＿이 높아질 수 있습니다.

If a platform company monopolizes data, entry barriers may rise. 📱

Answer

장벽 — 진입 장벽 means entry barrier.

B. 진입 장벽이 높아지면 신규 기업의 ＿＿＿＿가 줄어듭니다.

If entry barriers rise, opportunities for new firms decrease. 🚪

Answer

기회 — The cause-and-effect chain is barrier up, opportunity down.

C. 독과점이 심해지면 가격 ＿＿＿＿이 약화될 수 있습니다.

If monopoly/oligopoly dominance worsens, price competition may weaken. 💸

Answer

경쟁 — The natural phrase is 가격 경쟁.

D. 가격 경쟁이 약해지면 소비자 ＿＿＿＿이 커질 수 있습니다.

If price competition weakens, the consumer burden may grow. 🧾

Answer

부담 — This means burden.

E. 부의 편중이 심화되면 계층 간 ＿＿＿＿이 확대될 수 있습니다.

If wealth concentration intensifies, the gap between classes may widen. 📊

Answer

격차 — A common collocation is 격차가 확대되다.

F. 계층 간 격차가 커지면 사회 통합이 ＿＿＿＿될 수 있습니다.

If the gap between classes grows, social integration may weaken. 🧊

Answer

약화 — 약화되다 means to weaken.

G. 소유 구조가 복잡하면 책임 소재가 ＿＿＿＿해질 수 있습니다.

If the ownership structure is complex, responsibility may become unclear. 🧩

Answer

불분명 — This means unclear/ambiguous.

H. 책임 소재가 불분명하면 기업 감시의 ＿＿＿＿이 떨어질 수 있습니다.

If responsibility is unclear, the effectiveness of corporate monitoring may fall. 👀

Answer

실효성 — This means effectiveness in a practical policy sense.

I. 공정 경쟁이 보장되면 시장의 ＿＿＿＿이 높아질 수 있습니다.

If fair competition is guaranteed, the market’s soundness may improve. 🌤️

Answer

건전성 — 시장 건전성 means market soundness/health.

J. 투명한 규칙은 경제 주체 간 ＿＿＿＿를 높입니다.

Transparent rules increase trust among economic actors. 🤝

Answer

신뢰 — This means trust.

📚

Vocabulary Box

• 장벽 → barrier

• 기회 → opportunity

• 가격 경쟁 → price competition

• 부담 → burden

• 격차 → gap/disparity

• 약화 → weakening

• 불분명 → unclear

• 실효성 → practical effectiveness

• 건전성 → soundness/health

• 신뢰 → trust

Tip 💡 Strong cause-effect writing often uses chains: 진입 장벽 상승 → 기회 축소 → 경쟁 약화 → 소비자 부담 증가.

 

Exercise 5 — Mixed Mastery + Pitfall Patrol 🛡️

A. 성공한 기업이 존재한다는 사실만으로 ＿＿＿＿ 집중이라고 단정할 수는 없습니다.

You cannot conclude concentration of economic power merely from the fact that a successful company exists. 🏢

Answer

경제력 — ❌ Successful firm = economic concentration → ✅ The issue is structural concentration of power and resources.

B. 독과점은 주로 시장 ＿＿＿＿의 문제이고, 부의 편중은 분배의 문제입니다.

Monopoly/oligopoly is mainly a problem of market structure, while concentration of wealth is a distribution problem. ⚖️

Answer

구조 — ❌ 독과점 = 부의 편중 → ✅ One is market structure; the other is wealth distribution.

C. 규제는 항상 처벌이 아니라 공정 경쟁을 지키는 ＿＿＿＿가 될 수 있습니다.

Regulation is not always punishment; it can be a device for protecting fair competition. 🛡️

Answer

장치 — ❌ Regulation is always anti-business → ✅ It can function as a fairness mechanism.

D. 문제가 조금 줄어드는 것은 ＿＿＿＿이고, 더 근본적으로 해결되는 것은 해소에 가깝습니다.

Reducing a problem somewhat is easing, while solving it more fundamentally is closer to resolution. 🌦️

Answer

완화 — ❌ 완화하다 = 해소하다 always → ✅ 완화 is reduction; 해소 is fuller resolution.

E. 경제력 집중을 다룰 때 세금뿐 아니라 경쟁 정책과 ＿＿＿＿ 개혁도 함께 봐야 합니다.

When dealing with concentration of economic power, one should consider not only taxes but also competition policy and ownership reform. 🧰

Answer

소유 구조 — ❌ Taxes solve every concentration problem → ✅ Ownership structure and competition rules also matter.

F. 소수 기업이 시장을 지배하면 소비자 선택권이 ＿＿＿＿될 수 있습니다.

If a small number of firms dominate the market, consumer choice may be restricted. 🛒

Answer

제한 — 제한되다 means to be restricted or limited.

G. 부가 한쪽으로 쏠리면 사회 이동성이 ＿＿＿＿될 수 있습니다.

If wealth leans to one side, social mobility may weaken. 🪜

Answer

약화 — Wealth concentration can make class movement harder.

H. 기업 권력이 커질수록 투명한 감시와 책임 ＿＿＿＿가 중요해집니다.

As corporate power grows, transparent monitoring and accountability become important. 🔍

Answer

소재 — 책임 소재 means where responsibility lies.

I. 경제 민주화는 경제적 권력을 더 넓게 ＿＿＿＿하려는 담론과 연결됩니다.

Economic democratization is connected to discourse about distributing economic power more broadly. 🌱

Answer

분산 — This means dispersal/distribution away from one center.

J. 경제력 집중, 독과점, 부의 편중, 규제는 모두 경제 구조의 ＿＿＿＿을 분석하는 핵심 어휘입니다.

Concentration of economic power, monopoly/oligopoly, wealth concentration, and regulation are core terms for analyzing the balance of economic structure. 🗺️

Answer

균형 — A polished closing term: these words help you discuss balance and imbalance in the economy.

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Vocabulary Box

• 경제력 → economic power

• 구조 → structure

• 장치 → device/mechanism

• 완화 → easing/reduction

• 소유 구조 → ownership structure

• 제한 → restriction/limitation

• 약화 → weakening

• 책임 소재 → where responsibility lies

• 분산 → dispersal/distribution

• 균형 → balance

Tip 💡 Pitfall patrol: separate success from concentration, market dominance from wealth inequality, and regulation from punishment.

 

🎉 Excellent work — you can now discuss 경제력 집중 현상 with structure, nuance, and policy balance. That is not just vocabulary; that is economic X-ray vision. 🩻