Human rights and transnational democracy in South Korea

(the second Industrial Revolution) was characterised by the development of the telegraph, railroad networks, gas and water supply, sewage systems, electrical power and telephones. The third wave (the third Industrial Revolution) laid the groundwork for the digital revolution, and the fourth wave, the era of the ‘Super Digital Age', will be accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Even before the pandemic, the third wave was already fading, as indicated by the general stagnation of most countries’ economies. Lee and Park note that over the past decade there has been a marked shift from manufacturing to service provision (125). Advanced economies have focused on providing ‘skill-intensive services, information and data, and the internet’ (127). The shift to the service sector was triggered by outsourcing manufacturing processes overseas, where manufacturing was relatively low cost. Therefore, skilled service provision is what China and other Asian nations must exploit to remain relevant and competitive in the global economy. China is already exploiting this new dimension, with China-based companies Alibaba and TikTok competing with US tech giants such as Google, Amazon, and Facebook. The availability of the internet has ensured that even as the world moves towards a more deglobalised economy, the globalisation of information cannot be reversed. Deglobalisation only impacts the movement of physical goods and human resources, not information. The COVID-19 pandemic significantly accelerated this development by pushing people to perform most of their work and business transactions online, a development that has remained even as COVID restrictions are eased globally. Additionally, Asian countries are rapidly shifting from low-tech manufacturers and exporters to consumers of these products. Higher living standards and greater purchasing power have pushed Asian nations towards regionalisation to counter the adverse effects of deglobalisation. These countries have also established themselves as innovation hubs with brands such as Samsung Electronics and LG leading fifth-generation (5G) wireless telecommunications technology and artificial intelligence. Post-Covid Asia provides valuable insights into the changing face of the global economy and its implications for future relations between Eastern and Western nations. Its comprehensive analysis of the fourth wave of globalisation and its expected impact on how the world handles transactions and business interactions makes it an exciting and informative read. The book is worth reading for academics keen on gaining more insight into how COVID has changed global business and how nations can position themselves to remain competitive.