South Korea

Background
 Official name: Republic of Korea (Daehan-min'guk)
 South Koreans generally use the term Han'guk to refer to their country
 Capital: Seoul
 Population: 48,324,000 (July 2002 est.)
 Nationality: noun: Korean(s), adjective: Korean
 Ethnic groups: Homogeneous Korean (except for about 20,000 Chinese)
 Languages: Korean. English is widely taught in elementary, junior high, and high school.
 Religions: Christian 49%, Buddhist 47%, Confucianist 3%, Shamanist, Chondogyo (Religion of the
Heavenly Way), and other 1%

Communication

General Communication
 When asking a Korean a “yes” or “no” question, avoid asking negative questions, such as
“Are you not in pain?” English language speakers and Korean language speakers respond to
negative questions differently. Confusion and miscommunication can be avoided by framing
all questions positively, such as “Are you in pain?”
 Koreans may answer “yes” to a question out of politeness. They usually agree with your
question first before answering it.
 It is important for Koreans to determine an individual’s age, as there are different ways of
addressing and talking to people of different age groups.
 Koreans are reserved and formal with strangers. Koreans may be offended by or suspicious of
someone who assumes familiarity too soon.
 It is considered inappropriate to address others by their first (given) names unless the person
is a family member of the same age or a good friend. Address Koreans with a title such as
Dr., Mr., or Mrs., followed by last name (ex. Dr. Chang).
 Smiling and joking are not considered appropriate in certain situations, and such expressions
may be understood as a lack of intelligence or respect.

Etiquette
 Koreans remove their shoes before entering a home. Some Koreans also may be offended by
bare feet, so it is best to wear socks when visiting a Korean home.
 When offered refreshments by the host, more traditional Korean visitors may refuse several
times before accepting.
 Korean hosts accompany their guests to the door or outside.
 Koreans may deny compliments to avoid appearing arrogant.

Greetings
 It is considered polite to greet elders first and spend a few minutes talking with them. One
may also comment on the elder’s good health.
  The bow is a traditional Korean greeting and may be accompanied by a handshake among
men. Non-Koreans are not expected to bow in return; doing so may even be interpreted as
mockery. A nod of the head will suffice.
 Korean women may nod slightly, but will usually not shake hands with men. Western women,
however, may initiate a handshake with a Korean man.
 Koreans traditionally bow when departing. Young people usually wave, moving their arm
from side to side.

Gestures/Body Language/Physical Touch

 Direct eye contact is less frequent among Koreans and Korean Americans, especially between
members of different sexes, social statuses, and ages. Direct and prolonged eye contact is
uncomfortable and considered impolite.
 More traditional Koreans avoid facial expressions and hand/arm gestures during
conversation.
 Koreans may feel uncomfortable or even offended when touched by someone who is not a
family member or close friend. In family situations, hugging and kissing are infrequent.
Koreans accept touching in public areas, as overcrowding may make it unavoidable.
 While many types of physical contact are considered inappropriate, touch between females is
acceptable.
 Feet are considered dirty and should not touch people or objects.
 Blowing one’s nose in public is considered rude.
 To beckon someone of lesser status or age, Koreans extend their arm with the palm of the
hand facing downward and move the fingers up and down. Motioning or pointing with an
index finger is considered insulting.

Dying and Death Practices

 Traditional Koreans prefer dying at home over dying in a hospital.
 If a person dies at home, the body is kept for several more days for viewing and showing respect.
Korean-Americans have modified this tradition and instead reserve a place in the home where
pictures of the deceased can be viewed.
 For deceased individuals who have no relatives, the body is usually cremated and the ashes dispersed
over a body of water.
 Respect is shown to the dead by an outward display of grief, which is expressed through moaning and
crying.
 The oldest son is obligated to remain near the deceased and to moan as a display of his emotion. He
may also hold a cane to symbolize his need for emotional support at this time.

Educational Attainment and Literacy Rates

 Koreans have traditionally placed great importance on learning. Both males and females are
encouraged to excel in their studies.
 At 98 percent, South Korea has one of the highest literacy rates in the world.
 Koreans will make great sacrifices to ensure that their children receive the best education and
admission to the most prestigious schools.
 Nearly every Korean child completes primary school and most continue to secondary schools that
demand long hours and high performance.
 Admission to prestigious universities is highly competitive and students must pass extremely rigorous
entrance exams for which they spend years in intense preparation.
Family
 Traditionally, extended families lived together, but today many Koreans have small families and live
in their own apartments.
 Koreans have a strong sense of duty towards their family – treating their parents with respect,
obeying them, caring from them when they are old, and giving them a proper burial.
 One of the important aspects of Confucianism is a patriarchal ideology that assigns a lower status to
women and emphasizes a clear role differentiation between husband and wife. Korean men are the
financial providers and decision makers of the family and traditionally exercise complete control over
their wives and children. The eldest son inherits the family leadership as well as responsibility for his
parents.

Food and Eating Habits

 Breakfast is traditionally viewed as the largest and most important meal of the day, but in more recent
years, dinner has become the main meal of the day for many Koreans.
 Koreans do not usually designate certain foods as breakfast, lunch, and dinner dishes.
 Korean meals consist of rice, vegetables, small amounts of meat, and soup.
 A popular and common staple of Korean meals is kim chi – a spicy, fermented dish made from
Chinese cabbage or radishes.
 Koreans eat large amounts of fish and seafood.
 Barley tea is served with many meals.
 More traditional Koreans usually avoid drinking cold beverages.
 Fruit is often served as a dessert.
 Most Koreans do not consume dairy products, but they are becoming more popular among the
younger generation.
 It is considered good table manners to wait until older people at the table have picked up their spoons
or chopsticks before beginning to eat.
 Most Koreans do not use knives and forks. Spoons and chopsticks are the most frequently used
utensils.
 When eating from a communal dish, food is never eaten directly from the dish, but is first transferred
to one’s plate.

General Attitudes among More Traditional/Older Koreans

 Saving face: Koreans may not admit to not knowing an answer when questioned. They may give a
wrong answer or an answer they think the questioner wants to hear. Open criticism and public
disagreement are avoided as they may damage one’s reputation.
 Koreans’ social and cultural behavior has been strongly influenced by Confucianism. Confucianism
teaches a rigid vertical hierarchy of social relationships. An individual’s place in the hierarchy is
determined by her/his age, gender, education, family background, wealth, and occupation. Individuals
are treated in accordance with their social status.
 Japan has invaded Korea several times. The most recent invasion occurred recently in 1910, when
Korea fell under Japanese domination for 35 years. Today some Koreans still hold anti-Japanese
sentiments.

Health and Medical Beliefs

 Koreans recognize the value of both modern and traditional medicines.
 Acupuncture, herbs, cupping, and moxibustion are common treatments in South Korea.
 Ginseng is taken to increase energy, stamina, and strength.
 Traditional doctors may recommend massages, dieting, therapeutic baths, and stretching and
breathing exercises to maintain good health.
 Illness is sometimes seen as disharmony in natural forces. Illnesses are classified as either hot or cold,
and are treated through the opposite force to achieve balance. For example, a cold is treated with hot
soup made from bean sprouts.
 Physicians are viewed as powerful and very trustworthy.
 Discussing a patient’s terminal status, artificially sustaining a patient’s life, organ donation and
transplantation are resisted.
 Much of a patient’s care is provided by family and family can provide information regarding how the
patient copes with illness or pain.

Holidays
 Koreans celebrate holidays according to both the lunar and solar calendars.
 Sol-nal (lunar New Year’s Day) is the biggest holiday of the year. On Sol-nal, people wear their best
clothing, visit friends and relatives, play traditional games, and perform family rituals to honor
ancestors.
 Another popular holiday, Ch’u Sok, takes place on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month. Ch’u Sok is a
time of thanksgiving for harvests and a time to be together with family. Koreans also visit family
gravesites to pay respect to their ancestors.
 Korean Buddhists celebrate the Buddha’s birthday on the 8th day of the 4th lunar month by visiting
temples, praying, and by making colorful lanterna. The holiday culminates in a lantern parade held in
the evening.
 Many Koreans celebrate Christmas with Christmas lights and decorated trees. Christians view
Christmas as a religious holiday, and non-Christians see Christmas as an opportunity to celebrate with
family and friends.
 Koreans hold large celebrations to mark the 100th day after a child’s birth, a child’s first birthday, and
the 60th or 70th birthday.

History
 Korea’s ancient history began over 7,000 years ago with the emergence of clan communities that
eventually formed city-states. By the first century B.C., three kingdoms had emerged in the Korean
peninsula. These kingdoms ruled for many centuries. One kingdom – the Choson Dynasty, ruled from
1392 to 1910. In the late 19th century, Korea became the focus of competing world powers including
China, Russia, and Japan. Japan occupied Korea in 1910, but Korea gained its independence in 1945
when Japan surrendered to Allied forces. Following World War II, Korea was divided into two
separate Russian and U.S. zones – North Korea and South Korea. The Republic of Korea was
proclaimed in 1948. In 1950, North Korea invaded South Korea, triggering the three-year Korean
War. The War devastated Korea and ended in a stalemate. Today the border continues to demarcate
North Korea from South Korea. Since the Korean War, South Korea has emerged as one of the
world’s major economies.

Symbolic Elements
 Koreans never use the color red to write, as red is used to write the names of the deceased.
 When giving gifts, Koreans avoid giving knives or scissors, which signify cutting off a relationship.
 The number “four” is generally disliked because the Chinese character for “death” is pronounced the
same as the number “four” in Korean.

Korean-Americans
 Korean Americans are the fourth largest Asian group in the United States, with a population of over
one million. The state with the largest Korean-American population is California with 33 percent,
followed New York with 12 percent. Most Korean immigrants to the United States settle in large
cities where jobs are available and Korean communities have been established.
 While only 25 percent of South Korea’s population belongs to Protestant denominations, more than
75 percent of Korean immigrants are Protestant. Churches often serve as a powerful support group
and may offer services such as tax preparation, English language classes, health education, and
employment information.
 Korean immigrants in major cities have found economic niches in several business specialties such as
grocery and liquor retail, produce retail, dry cleaning service, and retail sales of Asian-imported
manufactured goods. Many Koreans are self-employed or employed by co-ethnic businesses. Thus,
many Koreans are highly segregated economically, with about 80 percent working in Korean
businesses either as owners or employees.
 The 1992 Los Angeles riots had a profound effect on the Korean-American community. Korean
American storekeepers suffered nearly half of the one billion dollars in damages. Following the riots,
Korean Americans experienced a political awakening that resulted in an increase in organizations
promoting Korean-American interests. Today Korean Americans have more ethnic organizations than
any other Asian immigrant community. Ethnic churches, alumni associations, and ethnic media play
central roles in uniting Korean Americans.
 Korean-American women enter the workforce in much higher numbers than women in South Korea.
The wife’s contribution to the family economy usually increases her marital power and status.
Although Korean-American women work long hours outside the home, they are still responsible for
almost all of the housework in more traditional families.

Korean-American Relations
 The United States has strong economic, security, and political interests in South Korea and both
countries maintain a strong, multifaceted alliance.
 The United States maintains a sizable military presence in South Korea, which South Koreans have
increasingly protested.
Sources:
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html
http://www.capaa.wa.gov/koreanamericans.html
http://usinfo.state.gov/regional/ea/easec/kor0403.pdf
http://www3.baylor.edu/~Charles_Kemp/korean.htm
http://www.settlement.org/cp/english/skorea/index.html
http://www.diversityinhealth.com/regions/asia/korean.htm
http://www.a-zoftourism.com
http://www.executiveplanet.com/business-culture-in/132166335347.html
http://www.jobmonkey.com/teaching/asia/html/customs_of_s__korea.html
http://www.sttar.org/resourcing/profiles.asp?
CultureChoice=Korean&SectionSelect=all#KoreanReligionBeliefs
http://www.windowontheworldinc.com/countryprofile/korea.html
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