Korea

Country starter pack
Introduction to Korea
11
In each of the first four relationships, the first person
mentioned is in an implied position of authority over
the second, while the fifth relationship denotes equality
between friends. This conceptual framework, also evident
in other Asian cultures, gives rise to hierarchical social
roles within households, workplaces and society generally,
with the hierarchies based on the seniority of age, social
obligation, care for the elderly, and the strong value
placed on respect and loyalty.
Similarly, an employee’s identity comes largely from his or
her place in a company, and job titles are significant. The
exchange of business cards – on which the person’s title
is prominently featured – is a careful ritual. Seniors have
responsibility for juniors, and one’s pay and role are largely
based on seniority.
Due to their Confucian heritage, Koreans are very
status conscious and their behaviour reflects hierarchical
relationships between people. Except among former
classmates and other very close friends, adults do not use
first names to address each other. Position titles such as
‘professor’, ‘manager, ‘director’, and ‘president’ are used in
combination with the honorific suffix nim to address a social
superior.
As in other Asian societies, maintaining face is central to the
way business and social relationships work. Through their
social etiquette and behaviour, Koreans aim to preserve a
harmonious environment in which a person’s kibun (their
mood or inner feelings) can remain balanced. The best way
to handle kibun is not to demand yes or no answers and
to accept the need for slow consensual decision-making.
Contradicting someone openly, criticising them in front
of someone else or patronising them are sure ways to lose
business. It is more advisable to give sincere compliments,
show respect or do something that raises self-esteem.
Traditional gender roles are strongly adhered to in Korea, and
Australian women doing business there need to be aware this
may impact their dealings. Men are accorded higher status
and are expected to be breadwinners, while women have a
lower status and are often expected to stay-at-home. Some
companies would still prefer to hire a less-qualified man than
a woman with more qualifications, as it is expected she will
leave when she marries or will have family responsibilities
preventing her from working late and socialising with
colleagues. Some Korean companies pressure women to
leave their jobs when they marry or when they are pregnant,
although this practice is not as widespread as it once was
and is no longer considered ‘normal’. In business, Korean
men may prefer to negotiate with men, and expect foreign
women to be elegant, refined and conservative in manner.
The importance of gender is reflected in Korea’s low ranking
of 117 out of 142 countries in the Global Gender Gap Index
of 2014, produced by the World Economic Forum.
Traditionally, Korean women keep their original family name
when they marry. The children, however, take their father’s
name. The majority of Koreans have family names within one
of a small set: Kim (about 21 per cent of the population), Yi
(or Lee or Rhee, 14 per cent), Park (or Pak, eight per cent),
Choi (or Choe), Jeong (or Chung), Jang (or Chang), Han
and Lim. etc. A Korean name consists of a family name, in
almost every case one syllable, plus a given name usually of
two syllables. The family name comes first.
Religion plays an increasingly significant role in the lives of
Koreans, although still not to the same extent as in some
parts of Southeast Asia. Unlike some cultures with a single
dominant religion, Korea is home to a wide variety of religious
influences and practices. Koreans historically have lived
under the influences of Shamanism, Buddhism, and Taoism.
With religious freedom guaranteed in the Constitution,
Christianity has also made strong inroads in modern times.
The extraordinarily rapid pace of industrialisation over a
couple of decades - compared to a couple of centuries in the
West - has brought considerable wealth to Koreans, but also
the spread of anxiety and alienation, prompting more people
to seek solace in religion. While organised religion has been in
rapid decline in most of the developed world, religious belief
in Korea has been on the rise, and religious institutions have
been increasing their social influence. More than 53 per cent
of Koreans now follow a specific religious faith. Buddhists
account for some 43 per cent of the religious population,
followed by Protestants at more than 34 per cent and
Catholics at more than 20 per cent.
Reverence for ancestors is a core value in Korean society.
According to traditional Korean beliefs, when people die,
their spirits do not immediately depart; they stay with their
descendants for four generations. During this period the
deceased are still regarded as family members, and Koreans
reaffirm the relationship between ancestors and descendants
through jerye (ancestral memorial rites) on special days like
Seollal (Lunar New Year’s Day) and Chuseok (Mid-Autumn
Festival), as well as on the anniversary of an ancestor’s
passing. Koreans also believe people can live well and happily
thanks to benefits their ancestors bestow upon them.
Culture of ‘han’ - pushing the nation ever higher: Koreans
possess a remarkably ambitious mindset. They place great
importance on high achievement and the setting of long
term targets - traits reflected not only in business culture but
at all levels of society. They have a word - han - to describe
the urge to overcome obstacles and injustices, and to reach
out for victory. Han encompasses not just perseverance,
but the pursuit of greatness. Han is everywhere: in working
culture, education and everyday life. So it comes as no
surprise that Koreans work more hours per capita than the
citizens of any other OECD nation.
Koreans are among the world’s most educated people,
according to OECD statistics. A large percentage of family
income is typically spent on providing the best possible
education for the children. Korean educational institutions
also pursue a culture of ambition for themselves, with
many communicating bold visions to rise up the global