Korean Job Discussion Forums

[rapier]

i've just had to correct the english of one of my students speeches to be read on speech day. It was about Korea's plans to be the hub of Asia by developing incheon as a port and technological centre.
the child is only 12, but the speech had clearly been written for her by her teachers or parents to be translated. it gave me an interesting view into the current Korean psyche. Quotes like:-

"Korea must make a success of this project now if we are to be the economic base of Asia"

"Countries like japan and China don't seem to be happy that we are doing this'

"Incheon is the key to open the world. We can offer foreign schools, an English- speaking community, and tax breaks to foreign investors here"

"We have already shown the power of korea to the world, in our unity at the world cup, and our wise triumph over the economic crisis"

"We must develop other parts of the country as well so that it doesn't lead to the break- up of our nation".

"We must all work conscientiously and well to make our dream come true"

It was kinda sad that they'd filled a 12 year-olds head with all this trash, but then i realised that this sort of "xenophobic, us against the world, let's develop and destroy our environment" is probably whats in the heads of most Koreans... i debated the issues briefly with the teacher but met only a confused expression...
(Incidentally, i go to the mudflats at Incheon regularly. the big development project there has already destroyed the last nesting colonies of the rare spoonbill, relict and saunder's gull in Korea:)

[just because]

I'm currently reading a book on Korea becoming a logistics hub, yes i know it is boring. Anyway, there are about 10 different essays and each keep saying the same 3 things.

1. The infrastructure is insufficient. How can we have our main ports in Gwangyang and Busan but our main Airport in Incheon. they try to suggest solutions but with an acknoledged traffic problem that will only get doubly worse the solutions for more expressways is weak. The high speed train is a great idea but with all the disruption they are getting left behind.

2. To become an integral part of North-east asia the Koreans must change their xenophobic attitudes as without acceptance of other societies and their thinking, there is no way we can work effectively to become a logistics hub. I thought this was a good point and since Koreans are so materially driven what a good suggestion to change attitudes.

3. Labor unions must realise that work stoppages are hurting the global image and to become a logistics hub Koreans need a lot of foreign capital. A lot of noise for short-term gains is hurting long-term prosperity. Jpana is stuck and Korean only have a short window of opportunity before China outdoes them competitively, it will be too late.

Also, the need to link up the rail and road links with North Korea so to flow through to Europe and asia is constantly mentioned but no short-term solutions are offered other than giving the North korean government financial incentives(BIG ONES!!!).

i know it s alittle of track to the OPs using the 12 year old child as a mouthpiece but it got me thinking how Koreans keep saying all the same things for these grand plans but probably nothing will come to fruition. Even the Korean professors realize this(all the essyas were written by Koreans from Korean universities)

[rapier]

They may never come to fruition, but they'll make sure they've inadvertently turned the environment into a wasteland in the process....
Its inevitable now in the case of Inchoen.
regarding the balance of development, about 95% is planned in the Seoul/ incheon area. the rest of the country will become an ageing deserted backwater..

[denz]

[bucheon bum]

[weatherman]

[helly]

This whole "hub of asia" thing did not wholy come from the Koreans. Much of it was orchestrated by the foreign business community in an effort to influence positive changes that need to be made by Korean businesses. This foreign business community is well aware of the fact that Korea has a very low potential to become the hub but if improvements are made that start to bring Korea up to international standards, they will have achieved what they are quietly trying to. Kind of funny how Korea picked up on it so quick and made it "their own."

[just because]

[bucheon bum]

Korean logic of why it could be better than those cities Just Because mentioned:

Hong Kong: too far south, not good for access to Japan, Beijing, and N.East China.

Singapore: ditto, except even more so.

Tokyo: high costs. For example, its much cheaper to fly into Incheon than Tokyo. Incheon airport can easily expand, Tokyo's cannot. Furthermore, Japan's economy is stagnant, doesn't like it will grow more, therefore not a great market to invest in. Recent economic growth might make this latter reason totally invalid if Japan continues to rebound.

Shanghai: Have to deal with Chinese red tape, more bureaucracy. Economy less open than Korea's.

Personally I think Seoul/Incheon has a shot if Koreans and the gov't do it right. That's a big if. They better do it quickly or else Shanghai and China will blow by the Koreans.

[helly]

Korea won't get rich looking inward. That is exactly the problem. Korea wants MNCs to base their Asia-Pacific headquarters here but I don't think many Koreans can work with their focus on the good of the region over the good of Korea. Hey, this isn't a bad thing. Korea working for the good of Korea will help Korea. But the regional mindset just isn't there. Many Korean business people I have spoken to about this seem to think that it is a contest and if more companies started basing ops here, Korea Wins! (heard that before?)

As I said, the foreign business community is/was heavily involved in the hub project to try to influence positive change. Yes, Korea needs more MNCs here to beef up investment (there are about 14,000 "foreign" companies in Korea, though) but nobody is going to come. This was explained by the foreign business community and they recommended changes that would allow more MNCs to seriously consider Korea. Efforts at improving corporate taxes, standard of living/education, labor relations, etc are underway but obviously will take a very long time.

Remember, the hidden goal here, from the foreign community, is lower taxes and and labor flexibility. They have no honest belief that Korea will be a hub. Lower taxes and labor flexibility. But if Korea thinks that by making these improvements, they will attract more "hub" investment, they will make the changes. Good for lower taxes and labor flexibility.

[Mr. Pink]

Hmm isn't Singapore/Hong Kong and Japan's new Tokyo airport are the hubs of Asia...Korea is living on some pipe dream.

Incheon will never be a hub, but it might get a bit more business than that P.O.S. airport Kimpo got.

[rudyflyer]

the day Korea becomes the "Hub of Asia" the following things will of happened:

the Cubs will win the World Series
the Red Sox will the one before or after that one
the Bengals will win the Super Bowl
M*ch*gan will win the national championship in college football
Korea will have won the world cup
and a liberal democract will be elected US president

meaning there is no way in hell its going to happen

[Mosley]

BB:" They're not as environmentally aware as the Japanese...." Thanks , bud. I just spat beer all over the computer screen....

[HardyandTiny]

They should have just surrendered with the Japanese. It would have saved a lot of lives.
Make believe culture..,,
Language is the mother of all art, no words were ever more true.

[coolsage]

Yes, some Koreans seem to have unrealistic illusions about their place in the world. I've heard students say (and these are some of the best and brightest that this country has to offer up), that Korea will be one of three big political and economic powers in twenty years or so. How pathetic is that thinking, in a land that still can't supply decent drinking water, not to mention hot water, soap, and towels in its bathrooms? It's a joke, and not a good one. Those Koreans who've traveled or lived abroad know the real deal. Unfortunately, there are not enough of them, yet.