It has been 10 years since the Brexit referendum. It is no exaggeration to say that the report card on the historic decision made by the United Kingdom is devastating. From the British government to global research institutions, the consensus is that the single event of Brexit has led to a 4% to 8% decline in the UK's GDP. Whether it was the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic or the shock of the Russia-Ukraine war, the UK, having left the EU, bore the brunt of these crises. The current generation of young Britons (aged 18–34), who were unable to participate in the referendum at the time, overwhelmingly support returning to the EU. The resentment toward the "failed parent generation" and the resulting generational conflict are eating away at the country.

"The biggest problem is that there is no sign of improvement in the future." A verdict that there is "no hope" is being passed on the nation on which the sun once never set. Experts argue that there is no turning point in sight for the long-term stagnation and high inflation that the UK has fallen into. Political turmoil has inevitably followed, with six prime ministers changing over the 10 years since Brexit, and the general consensus among experts is that there is no clear alternative for the new Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, who is set to take office this month. Beyond Brexit, what is the fundamental cause that has driven the British economy into this situation? Cho Hyun-seung, a senior research fellow at the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics & Trade (KIET) and one of Korea's leading experts on international relations, offers the insight that "the golden age of the British Empire, when the sun never set, might be the biggest reason why the UK is sinking today." What exactly is the reason for this?

One of the biggest reasons the UK chose Brexit 10 years ago was anti-immigrant sentiment. However, after leaving the EU and restricting the relatively free movement of immigrants, the number of immigrants has more than doubled. Why did such a paradoxical result occur?

Social conflicts surrounding immigrants are also worsening. The so-called "Henry Nowak incident" late last year and the "random stabbing attack" by a Sudanese immigrant in Northern Ireland this past June are prime examples. The UK's immigration issue has emerged as the core of social conflict, showing a different pattern from 10 years ago, not only in terms of scale but also in "this" aspect.

What is the biggest lesson Korea should learn from the series of events unfolding in the UK? Senior Research Fellow Cho Hyun-seung diagnoses that many of the "conditions" that caused the problems the UK is currently experiencing are already appearing in Korea. What efforts must Korea make to avoid walking the same path that the UK has mistakenly paved? In [Talk-Sori Talk], we have examined each point clearly!

1. The Crucial 'Something' the UK Missed
2. The Foretold Catastrophe: Brexit
3. Immigrants Flooded In After Leaving Europe… Why?
4. Why is the UK Also Suffering from 'Real Estate Fever'?
5. "The EU Wants the UK, But..."
6. No Hope for the New British Prime Minister?
7. "Korea Must Also Ponder 'This'"

Reported by Kwon Aelee | Camera by Park Woo-jin and Kim Sang-yoon | Written by Jung Seo-woo | Edited by Chae Ji-won | Design by Chae Ji-woo | Intern Kim Hye-won | Produced by Knowledge Content IP Team