Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Cornfed]

I don't see why they should be. They don't seem to have an awful lot going for them. I suppose it must just be that the global elite wills it so. But still, why them?

[fadedgirl]

I don't think that they are.

Perhaps it's the electronics that they make?

[Newbie]

Because America and Japan wanted it to be.

[Cornfed]

[jkelly80]

The Japanese aren't innovators but they can perfect. I don't know what the Koreans can do. Terrible management.

[itaewonguy]

[pkang0202]

[Bigfeet]

For a 3rd world country they're rich, but they're not rich for a 1st world country. They got here because of their cheap labor but that is becoming less true every year as labor strike and demand more money. They're moving up the manufacturing ladder but China will catch up to them and Japan soon, in a generation at the most.

[IncognitoHFX]

[sojourner1]

There is raw physical economic growth due to employing physical labor to build stuff that Americans used to build, but it's dependent mostly on how much more America can or will buy from Korea. If America is unemployed like it's becoming more and more, then it can't support consumerism at these levels. Becuase America is a state of agressive consumers and it's corporations outsourced manufacturing to Asians, Asian economies and new wealth has boomed in the past decade and is dependent on continued American consumerism. The American elite has taught and promoted the general public to take out debt to over consume these goods that Asia produces. This is why new wealth is happening in Korea and other Asian countries. It's a zero sum game where Americas wealth and opportunities are physically being transplanted over to Asia. American leadership literally sold it's people out. Sell outs they are.

Like America, Korea has a small upper crust that it caters to while the majority work for peanuts and live modestly. This model is the result of how America changed the world. Of course, it was similar before western manufacturing arrived in that the royalty or yangbon of a country had it all while the majority worked for peanuts and almost starved in many instances, but there never was all this wealth here of all places like you see today.

If you know anything about Korean history, yes, Korea can be considered filthy rich today, but it's a far cry from being a lap of luxory in the life of Riley. America made it so, other wise, it would be just a dirt poor 3rd world communist one Korea with little or no freedom.

[PeteJB]

Haha, well America aside, compared to many regular "Jack and Jill" citizens in Europe, Koreans seem to be pretty well off. Those in the UK either do nothing but save money in banks, or spend all their money on bills having nothing left for anything else. There is not much middle ground. Yet why is that? According to statistics, the UK folks should be better off yet aren't. Ofcourse, I'm not talking about high payed citizens here - just your regular middle class folks.

[cdninkorea]

[itaewonguy]

[bassexpander]

I think they're rich because their housing prices shot up. They also get a lot of help from the USA propping-up their economy. Certain people in Korea are very wealthy, because they're high-up in the Chaebols. It's the same old rich families that have been around for eons.

I'm still waiting to see if this housing bubble bursts. If it does, there are going to be a lot of divorces and fathers jumping off of buildings.

[Konglishman]

This is a silly thread. Go read some history about Korea from the 60's to the 80's and I think your question will largely be answered. Sure America did its part to help support Korea, but more importantly, Korea had strong leadership that was very intent on developing the country.