Korean Job Discussion Forums

[bassexpander]

I was really disgusted by a recent poster's assertion that Korea doesn't "protect" its own products. This, as we all know, is certainly not true. South Korea is one of the more protectionist countries in the world, from what I've read (and have certainly seen).

I thought I'd list an example or two and ask others to do the same:

1. Mobile phones and discouraging foreign competition. The I-Phone is finally coming to Korea, but not after the Korea Telecommunications regulator purposefully dragged its feat, in an attempt to help Korean makers catch up: http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/tech/2008/12/133_35873.html

2. ROK Army says "no" to foreign cigarettes: http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2008/12/113_35903.html

[cdninkorea]

According to the manager of Bentley Korea, there's a 20 percent duty on foreign cars. That's why my girlfriend was amazed at how inexpensive the BMW Mini is in America- it's $18,000 in the US and 30 million won in Korea!

[Ukon]

[brento1138]

Korea's gotta be protectionist being right next to China & all... and I am sure the list is huge. I think there are definite benefits to the economy. And it does keep regional products and businesses doing better than they would if they just let the free market reign supreme.

Food - Rice - Beef - Taxes - Nationalism - Brainwashing

Korea is very protectionist with rice. I don't know if I've ever seen a bag of rice for sale that wasn't Korean rice. Koreans all claim their rice is the "best" and I'd have to agree that it is pretty good... but I believe this is a taste issue rather than a quality issue. If you've ever tried Japanese rice (Kohuna Rose) I honestly must say it is far superior to Korean rice, or any other rice I've ever tried in my life, for that matter. But Korean rice farmers must stay in business... and the Korean govt. and business sector knows this.

Korean protectionism goes beyond taxes. It's in the mindset of the people (remember the US beef protests?)... I suppose when a better product (such as US beef) is on the market for ultra cheap, then people do go for it... but there is the fact that Korean beef still sells rather well considering it is way overpriced and of questionable quality (ie. the cows are given unchecked feed, do not properly graze around, live in small spaces, are not checked for mad cow according to international standards, taste is just so so...). Ask any Korean which is better beef, and 99% of them will always say Korean beef, in an unquestioned, wide-eyed manner. When I think we all know which is truly better... On a global scale, it logically doesn't make much sense for a small country the size of Korea to have a beef industry... but somehow they manage to fiercely compete with US beef even though the price is ridiculously high. It really does add to the local economy, and though it isn't consumer friendly, it is country-friendly and helps people here in Korea (at "home") rather than somewhere abroad...

So, the protectionist policies here stem from nationalism but I believe it is a politically-motivated brainwashing media scheme which we cannot really investigate as most of us do not watch Korean TV since we cannot understand the language well. Maybe it doesn't make sense at first, but to be honest, I think the US went too far with global trade (ie sending its manufacturing base to China)... You gotta compete with the rest of the world, and Korea seems to be doing that rather well.

[Xuanzang]

No official IKEA stores says something.

[RACETRAITOR]

Isn't pretty well every country in the world protectionist?

[Whistleblower]

The article below illustrates protectionism to a point.

[Bryan]

If Korea was not protectionist, that would mean it would have unilateral free trade with every country in the world, allow foreign nationals the ability to start a business without government regulations, would have 0 tariffs on all goods entering the country, allow foreign financial institutions to compete on a level playing field, the list goes on. None of that is here.

There's a reason why chaebols run the country and they face no outside foreign competition from better companies that are obviously more efficient. Chaebols cozy up to the government, write laws that guarantee they won't have to face foreign competition, and then sit back and relax in inefficient bureaucracy.

Why is it that every country in the world has has reduced the number of conglomerates in the past few decades and has moved to corporations that specialize in things? It 's more efficient to do something you're good at than try to do everything. Why is it the exact opposite in Korea? Let me tell you, its nothing to do with the market--its because of the laws in this country that protect the chaebols and harm all of the consumers and other businesses (and ultimately everyone). Korea doesn't have different soil or wind or something that magically makes economics different here. It's because of the lobby these corporations have.

[yeoja]

[crossmr]