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Treefarmer
Joined: 29 May 2007
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 Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2007 4:21 am Post subject: Can someone tell me about Korean politics? |
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In layman terms
My last job I was very impressed by how most bosses lived in the same apartments as workers, and that working class kids all got to go to after school classes, go to restaraunts a lot more than English families, play in the street etc
But the more I find out about it, the more it seems like in reality it's a shithole, is it true they have higher unemployment than anywhere else in Asia? Is this why they all go to school until they are 22?
Is debt still a big problem (personal and to other countries)? The whole thing with the Chaebols seems to be something that could backfire for me, since they seem more powerful than the government
Would appreciate it if anyone could explain the main problems/policies etc or point me towards some decent links
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Treefarmer
Joined: 29 May 2007
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| Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2007 4:27 am Post subject: |
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| and another question is are they not going to be totally fucked in the recent future now they being forced into the FTA, and with China growing so fast? |
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On the other hand
Joined: 19 Apr 2003
Location: I walk along the avenue
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| Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2007 9:48 am Post subject: |
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| Is debt still a big problem (personal and to other countries)? |
I believe personal debt still is a pretty big problem, yes. Not sure about Korea's foreign debt, though. You don't seem to read much about that in the papers, so maybe it's not regarded as a huge issue. Or maybe I just somehow manage to miss those stories.
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The whole thing with the Chaebols seems to be something that could backfire for me, since they seem more powerful than the government
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The chaebols are thought to have played a fairly significant role in the so-called IMF crisis of 1997. But I don't know all the details about that, and the theory is disputed.
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| My last job I was very impressed by how most bosses lived in the same apartments as workers |
Yeah, there is a surface egalitarianism here, in some ways. But I'll bet you the boss is more likely to have a second home out in the country somewhere.
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Would appreciate it if anyone could explain the main problems/policies etc or point me towards some decent links
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Domestically, I think the big economic problem is people not having enough purchasing power as a result of debt and bankruptcy. But of course this is probably related, at least in part, to the global economy, where Korea is being hurt by high oil prices and a strong won. Mind you, I've seen stuff in the papers lately about certain export sectors picking up, but it's debatable how much this is improving the conditions of the average Joe.
On social issues, the main show in town would seem to be Uri's moderate program of liberalization, though so far the only major accomplishment has been the abolition of the family registry system. Unfortunately, Uri is too busy tripping over its own pointless nationalism to actually accomplish anything, and Roh's recent tirades against the press reek of desperation.
Granted, most of the press is pretty much slanted to the right. My first year in Korea I saw an editorial denouncing Kim Dae Jung and Company as dangerous socialists. One of the examples given of their radicalism was that they had passed a law saying that pharmacists could no longer write their own prescriptions. |
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twg
Joined: 02 Nov 2006
Location: Getting some fresh air...
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| Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2007 9:55 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
Can someone tell me about Korean politics?
In layman terms |
Imagine your typical hagwon.
Now imagine that on a national scale.
Done. |
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jay-shi
Joined: 09 May 2004
Location: On tour
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thepeel
Joined: 08 Aug 2004
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| Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2007 12:53 pm Post subject: |
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| Treefarmer wrote: |
| and another question is are they not going to be totally *beep* in the recent future now they being forced into the FTA, and with China growing so fast? |
Uh. Yeah.
Perhaps you should elaborate.. Roh (the leader of the nation you live in) made the FTA a cornerstone of his government. He is also looking for FTA's with the EU and Canada.
Maybe it is just those darn canucks with their guns to the Koreans head. |
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Treefarmer
Joined: 29 May 2007
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| Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2007 1:11 pm Post subject: |
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| BJWD wrote: |
| Treefarmer wrote: |
| and another question is are they not going to be totally *beep* in the recent future now they being forced into the FTA, and with China growing so fast? |
Uh. Yeah.
Perhaps you should elaborate.. Roh (the leader of the nation you live in) made the FTA a cornerstone of his government. He is also looking for FTA's with the EU and Canada.
Maybe it is just those darn canucks with their guns to the Koreans head. |
i don't have to care about the country i live in or it's president
i find it interesting, but i don't know anything cos i don't care, i'm here to save up for stuff, don't really give much of a *beep*, one cuntry is the same as another |
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Hollywoodaction
Joined: 02 Jul 2004
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| Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2007 4:47 pm Post subject: |
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| A Korean mobster with close ties to the president became an elected official in the 60's...and he complained of the level of corruption. Politicians are also known to throw shoes at each other in the national assembly. Need I say more? |
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jvalmer
Joined: 06 Jun 2003
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| Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2007 9:48 pm Post subject: |
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| I think how to handle North Korea is the biggest political factor. All politicians agree that another Korean war must be avoided at all costs. And all other political, economic and social policies are affected directly and indirecdtly by the North. |
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Treefarmer
Joined: 29 May 2007
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| Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2007 11:29 pm Post subject: |
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| Hollywoodaction wrote: |
| A Korean mobster with close ties to the president became an elected official in the 60's...and he complained of the level of corruption. Politicians are also known to throw shoes at each other in the national assembly. Need I say more? |
yeah but you are talking about the 60s
it was a dictatorship in the 60s, i'm interested in the current situation
the thing that really intrigues me is that one of my coworkers has just been living in thailand, and he thinks that the way korea is misspending their money (like every kid goes to english hagwons every day, but most of them are shit at english, or how the early 20s kids have lots of cool clothes and better phones than anywhere, but the sewers don't work, and there are no bins etc) is gona bite them in the bum so bad when these countries 'do a korea'and industrialise in 10 years time
just thinking that the current generation of korean kids are gonna be gutted when they grow up, cos once their boom dies, it will be a dirty poor country again, and the money went on useless crap?? |
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jinju
Joined: 22 Jan 2006
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| Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2007 11:41 pm Post subject: |
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What a load of bollocks. What countries are gonna "do a korea"? As of today the ROK is still the ONLY country in the history of the UN that has gone from being a recipient country to a donor country. So there goes your little myth of "doing a korea" in 10 years.
Korea is going in the right direction though mistakes are being made. It is a good thing that they are investing in high tech industries, automobile and shippbuilding as well as construction. Its a good mix of high tech and heavy industry that will see Korea through. What this country needs is a pro business government that will open up the market to the rest of the world. The UK-Kor FTA was a good first step. |
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Treefarmer
Joined: 29 May 2007
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| Posted: Sat Jun 09, 2007 1:09 am Post subject: |
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| jinju wrote: |
What a load of bollocks. What countries are gonna "do a korea"? As of today the ROK is still the ONLY country in the history of the UN that has gone from being a recipient country to a donor country. So there goes your little myth of "doing a korea" in 10 years.
Korea is going in the right direction though mistakes are being made. It is a good thing that they are investing in high tech industries, automobile and shippbuilding as well as construction. Its a good mix of high tech and heavy industry that will see Korea through. What this country needs is a pro business government that will open up the market to the rest of the world. The UK-Kor FTA was a good first step. |
it's not bollocks
thailand, china and vietnam will all become industrial powers like korea in the near future, are they going to be competitive?? most kids go to an english hagwon, but that doesn't mean that their english is any good
apparently koreans spend more money than any other country in the world on learning english, but i've worked for 4 hagwons, and only 1 of them the kids actually took it seriously, and that is cos they were rich kids who would get to go to america, england etc |
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thepeel
Joined: 08 Aug 2004
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| Posted: Sat Jun 09, 2007 1:20 am Post subject: |
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Hakwans, outside of the very elite, are attended for 2 primary reasons.
1) babysitting.
2) Keeping up with the Kims.
Korea will have a difficult time remaining competitive as China climbs the value chain. As it is now, she owes a very significant portion of her development to the market access that was granted to her by the United States. |
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jinju
Joined: 22 Jan 2006
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| Posted: Sat Jun 09, 2007 1:43 am Post subject: |
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| Treefarmer wrote: |
| jinju wrote: |
What a load of bollocks. What countries are gonna "do a korea"? As of today the ROK is still the ONLY country in the history of the UN that has gone from being a recipient country to a donor country. So there goes your little myth of "doing a korea" in 10 years.
Korea is going in the right direction though mistakes are being made. It is a good thing that they are investing in high tech industries, automobile and shippbuilding as well as construction. Its a good mix of high tech and heavy industry that will see Korea through. What this country needs is a pro business government that will open up the market to the rest of the world. The UK-Kor FTA was a good first step. |
it's not bollocks
thailand, china and vietnam will all become industrial powers like korea in the near future, are they going to be competitive?? most kids go to an english hagwon, but that doesn't mean that their english is any good
apparently koreans spend more money than any other country in the world on learning english, but i've worked for 4 hagwons, and only 1 of them the kids actually took it seriously, and that is cos they were rich kids who would get to go to america, england etc |
Oh stop with the English.
I can assure you of this: people who have to know it, do. That means engineers, managers in large companies doing business abroad. As far as the general population, take a trip to Japan and see how well the Japanese speak English. They are the #2 economy in the world. English is important, sure, but it isnt going to be the breaking factor in a country's future. The only things that will influence Korea's future are:
1. Geopolitical situation in this region.
2. North Korea's stability/sanity
3. Further investment in high tech
4. Developing heavy industries and positioning itself as a leader in the key ones (automobiles, ships, construction, energy)
5. Investment in infrastructure.
Thailand and Vietnam are going to take literally a few decades to even be considered developed. Catch Korea? How? Tuk tuk power? China is a Potemkin power. They have massive social problems and huge poverty. These are issues that are going to explode in China unless they are dealt with pronto. |
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Treefarmer
Joined: 29 May 2007
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| Posted: Sat Jun 09, 2007 1:43 am Post subject: |
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| BJWD wrote: |
Hakwans, outside of the very elite, are attended for 2 primary reasons.
1) babysitting.
2) Keeping up with the Kims.
Korea will have a difficult time remaining competitive as China climbs the value chain. As it is now, she owes a very significant portion of her development to the market access that was granted to her by the United States. |
i agree
i do worry how they have all this money and they are squandering it being such a hippy lol, what about when america turns over??
how tied are they to the dollar? is an argentina possible? |
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