Democratic Republic of the Congo and Cobalt
LEE YEON SIL Reporter
| 2026-10-18 10:53:55
Cobalt is a critically important mineral resource. It is a precious resource used in mobile phones, laptops, and even cars, with the Democratic Republic of the Congo holding over 70% of the world's reserves, followed by Indonesia. China is known to be the country that utilizes it the most.
To produce cobalt, children cannot even go to school and survive on just $2 a day. An even bigger problem is that these children suffer long-term physical damage, raising the high risk of early mortality. Education is completely out of the question.
It would be wonderful if global multinational corporations built schools in the places where these children work. Rather than boasting about asset rankings worth tens or hundreds of trillions of won as selected by Forbes, I hope they show interest in and invest in the education of children around the globe.
[ⓒ Global Economic Times. 무단전재-재배포 금지]