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CULTURE
Toyota Motor Korea
GM Daewoo
Toyota Motor Korea President & CEO Taizo Chigira performs a traditional Korean ceremony to wish for the success of his firm
Children from poor take a traditional pottery class with GM Daewoo officials
Im-hyun, the bank’s assistant vice
president.
The bank celebrated last Christmas
with a Christmas tree featuring Korea’s
traditional sock, beoseon, instead of
western socks. The bank’s culturefriendly
strategy received warm responses
from employers as well as
customers.
“Our employers are proud that the
foreign bank cares about Korea’s culture.
We think we have set an example
for other foreign firms and banks to
follow suit,” Jung said.
Korea’s traditional music is another
area in which foreign firms are actively
engaged.
Renault Samsung Motors Co., the
French automaker Renault SA’s
Korean joint venture, holds an annual
music contest dedicated to traditional
Korean music in collaboration with
the National Theater.
The 4th Korean Song Contest, held
in August 2007, was attended by more
than 1,500 people and 11 participating
groups. The participants were encouraged
to show off their musical skills,
which combine Korea’s traditional
music and various western genres
ranging from rock to hip-hop.
The winning team won 10 million
won ($10,000). A total of 20 million
won were at stake in this competition.
Cho Young-don, Renault Samsung’s
vice president, said the contest is laying
the groundwork in developing and
preserving Korea’s traditional music.
“We think what’s most Korean is
what’s most global. I think this annual
festival provides a place to celebrate
and enjoy our own music,” he said.
This year’s contest is scheduled for
Nov. 4 at the National Theater.
The company is also keen on celebrating
the nation’s traditional holidays.
Every February, Renault
Samsung hosts a festival celebrating
“Daeboreum,” the first full moon of
the lunar year.
Held for the fifth time, this year’s
event took place in Busan and Seoul’s
main cultural venues. During the event,
the company also donated scholarships
to underprivileged children.
Renault Samsung’s focus on
Korean culture has paid off. It is now
the nation’s fourth-largest automaker
and one of the most favored auto
brands among Koreans.
Korean culture is a good medium
for managers to communicate and
mingle with employers, who are mostly
Korean.
“We sponsor these cultural activities
and give back to the local community.
By doing so, we have become a
company that workers like to work at
and local citizens are proud of,” the
vice president said.
Jinro Ballantines, the Korean
branch of French-based Pernod
Ricard, is the sponsor of Kukak
National Middle and High School. It is
a school that focuses on fostering the
Korean traditional music of “Gukak.”
The “Imperial Scholarship,”
launched in 2002, supports students
with exceptional talent in traditional
Korean music. Along with the scholarships,
which amount to some 200 million
won ($200,000) a year, 12 students
last year were given a chance to
go on a music tour to the Czech
Republic, Germany and Austria.
“It is important that the students
experience different music and get a
chance to compare and learn about it.
We believe these programs stimulate
and motivate the students,” said Yoo
Ho-sung, the company’s public relations
manager.
The company also sponsors the
National Center for Korean Folk
Performing Arts and the National
Center for Korean Namdo Performing
Arts. The two organizations hold annual
performances in the suburban areas
of Jeollanam-do, which is considered
to be the home of traditional
Korean music.
Meantime, companies like GM
Daewoo have sponsored Korea’s contemporary
art scene. GM Daewoo,
General Motors Corp.’s Korean unit,
has supported the Korea Musical
Awards and the University Musical
Awards.
These awards acknowledge the
musicals composed and performed by
Koreans. The company has also sponsored
theaters and productions of creative
musicals, which often lack proper
funding.
“Supporting creative musicals is in
line with our corporate image of innovation.
And we have limited the sponsorships
to only Korean productions,
so that the necessary funding can be
used to raise Korea’s culture industry,”
said Yoo Seung-hwan, a spokesperson
of the company.
GM Daewoo also operates an online
website called “Passion of the
Musical” dedicated to Korea’s creative
musical.
GM Daewoo CEO Michael Grimaldi
has shown much interest toward
Korean culture since he was appointed
to the current position in 2006. This
year, he wore a “hanbok” to spread the
season’s greetings and showed off his
skills on the “gayageum,” a Korean
stringed instrument.
“He (Grimaldi) shows a lot of affection
toward Korean culture and tradition,
and I think that’s how the company,
even though most of the managers
are from overseas, can grow into
being a major automotive company
here. I think the employees also appreciate
that the managerial team tries to
learn and understand our culture,” GM
Daewoo’s Yoo said. ■
40 KOREA SEPTEMBER 2008
SEPTEMBER 2008 KOREA 41