The PeoPle’s RePublic

of South Korea

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 The People Republic of South Korea
The Best Country for Business

Prepared For Kazi

Subrina Ehsan
Lecturer
School of Business Studies
Southeast University

Prepared By
Group-C

Name ID Batch
Rafshan Uddin Shihab 2017110000004 46
Anisur Rahman 2017110000093 46
Farzana Zafrin Zerin 2016020000215 42
Tafhim Alimu Azad 2017210000068 47
Rakibul Hassan 2017210000010 47

BBA
Section: 02
Date of Submission: 17 April, 2019

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 Acknowledgement

Countless thanks to Almighty ALLAH (The most merciful, the most beneficial); the
only Creator of the universe who enabled us to complete this assignment, despite
various difficulties.

It gives us immense pleasure to thank a large number of individuals for their cordial
cooperation and encouragement which has contributed directly or indirectly in preparing this
assignment.

Firstly, we would like to express our thanks to our respected faculty Kazi Subrina Ehsan
Lecturer of Southeast School of Business Studies, Southeast University. Her guidance
and feedback made things a lot easier. Whenever, we had any question regarding any
problem, she answered all our questions and kept us on track to complete this assignment. She
gives her suggestions that were crucial in making this assignment as flawless as possible.
Then we would like to thank all the other groups who not only worked really hard for
their own assignments but also helped and inspired us to complete ours.

Then, every group member of this assignment also worked really hard. So, we all are thankful
to each other for making this report a successive one and made this experience a memorable
one.

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 Southeast University
House # 64, Road # 18, Block # B, Banani,
Dhaka- 1213
Email: info@seu.ac.bd

17 April, 2019

Ms. Kazi Subrina Ehsan

Lecturer,
School of Business Studies
Southeast University.

Dear Madam,
With due respect we, the undersigned students of BUS1131, Section 2, have
successfully completed our report on country South Korea that you had assigned to us in the
middle of the semester. This paper has helped us understand most of the factors more
clearly, and think more critically. Thank you for coining the idea of this project. Without
your inspiration and support, this assignment would have been an incomplete one.
Lastly we would be thankful once again if you please give your well-judged advice on our
effort.
Sincerely,

Rafshan Uddin Shihab ID: 2017110000004

Anisur Rahman ID: 2017110000093

Farzana Zafrin Zerin ID: 2016010000215

Tafhim Alimu Azad ID: 2017210000068

Rakibul Hassan ID: 2017210000010

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 Table of Content

1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................................7
1.1 Origin of the Report ......................................................................................................................7
1.2 Problem and Purpose:...................................................................................................................7
1.3 Limitations: ...................................................................................................................................7
2. About South Korea..............................................................................................................................8
3. The Three Major Factors of South Korea............................................................................................8
3.1 Topography of South Korea ..........................................................................................................9
3.2 History of South Korea ...............................................................................................................10
3.3 Religion of South Korea...............................................................................................................10
4. The Views and Practices Concerning Factors of Human Relationships of South Korea ...................11
5. Facts and Statistics ...........................................................................................................................12
6. Language in South Korea..................................................................................................................12
7. Greeting.............................................................................................................................................13
8. Religion & Beliefs ............................................................................................................................13
9. The Economy....................................................................................................................................13
10. Food ...............................................................................................................................................13
11. Arts, Humanities & Popular Cultural …………………………………………………………………………………………14

12. Communication Style ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..14

13. Relationship building ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..14

14. Handshakes ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….15

15. Hierarchy …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..15

16. Names and Titles ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….15

17. Punctuality ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..15

18. Hospitality …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………15

19. Conclusion …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………16

20. References ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 17

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 Executive Summary

This paper examines the topography, history, religion, culture, human relationship and
cultural communication skills and other factors that influence business practices in
South Korea.
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting
the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and lying to the east of the Asian mainland. The
name Korea is derived from Goguryeo which was one of the great powers in East Asia during
its time. It comprises an estimated 51.4 million residents distributed over 100,363 km 2
(38,750 sq mi). Its capital and largest city is Seoul, with a population of around 10 million.

South Korea is a highly developed country and a high-income economy, with a "very high"
Human Development Index, ranking 22nd in the world. The country is considered a regional
power and is the world's 11th largest economy by nominal GDP and the 12th largest by PPP
as of 2010. South Korea is a global leader in the industrial and technological sectors, being the
world's 5th largest exporter and 8th largest importer.

All these things reflect the culture of South Korea in every steps of their business
communication with various countries. The views and practices concerning factors of human
relationships of South Korea is not that much specific than other countries but they do have
some differences.

The understanding of language of South Korea people is a kind of barrier to them.

Other country people don’t understand their language and they are also unable to talk in
English properly. Even they rarely understand English when they communicate with any
client for the purpose of business. Otherwise they are so polite and show huge hospitality to
their country guest.

So their culture, standard of living, life style etc reflects by their behavior with others and
also shows why they are so successful in the business market in all over the world.

This report is going to give us more information that influences the business communication
of South Korea in brief.

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1. Introduction
1.1 Origin of the Report: Report based on the People Republic of South Korea
was authorized by Ms. Kazi Subrina Ehsan, Lecturer of Southeast Business School,
Southeast University, to group A consist of 5 members. The members are:
• Rafshan Uddin Shihab
• Anisur Rahman
• Farzana Zafrin Zerin
• Tafhim Alimu Azad
• Rakibul Hassan

This report had assigned to us in the middle of the semester to finding out that how South
Korea’s major matters influence their business communication.

1.2 Problem and Purpose: The problem and the purpose of this report are:
• To determine how the three major factors (topography, history, and religion)
that influence South Korea’s culture and how does it affect in business communication.
• What are the views and practices concerning factors of human relationships of South
Korea?
• To determine the culture differences regarding body positions and movement of South
Korea.
• To recommend what one can do to enhance ones cross cultural communication skills.

1.3 Limitations: Limitations encompassing this paper may include:

➢ Lack of time.
➢ Lacking in gathering information.
➢ Couldn’t find out the proper pictures for different sections.

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2. About South Korea

South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting
the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and lying to the east of the Asian mainland. The
name Korea is derived from Goguryeo which was one of the great powers in East Asia during
its time. It comprises an estimated 51.4 million residents distributed over 100,363 km 2
(38,750 sq mi). Its capital and largest city is Seoul, with a population of around 10 million.

South Korea is a highly developed country and a high-income economy, with a "very high"
Human Development Index, ranking 22nd in the world. The country is considered a regional
power and is the world's 11th largest economy by nominal GDP and the 12th largest by PPP
as of 2010. South Korea is a global leader in the industrial and technological sectors, being the
world's 5th largest exporter and 8th largest importer.

3. The Three Major Factors of South Korea

The three major factor of South Korea that influence the culture and business communication
are:
➢ Topography
➢ History
➢ Religion

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3.1 Topography of South Korea

South Korea is located in East Asia, on the southern half of the Korean Peninsula jutting out
from the far east of the Asian landmass. The only country with a land border to South Korea is
North Korea, lying to the north with 238 kilometers (148 mi) of border running along
the Korean Demilitarized Zone. South Korea is mostly surrounded by water and has 2,413
kilometres (1,499 mi) of coastline along three seas; to the west is the Yellow Sea (West Sea),
to the south is the East China Sea, and to the east is the Sea of Japan (East
Sea). Geographically, South Korea's land mass is approximately 100,032 square
kilometres (38,623 sq mi). 290 square kilometres (110 sq mi) of South Korea are occupied by
water. The approximate coordinates are 37° North, 127° 30 East.

South Korea has no extensive plains; its lowlands are the product of mountain
erosion. Approximately 30 percent of the area of South Korea consists of lowlands,
with the rest consisting of uplands and mountains. The great majority of the lowland area lies
along the coasts, particularly the west coast, and along the major rivers. The most important
lowlands are the Han River plain around Seoul, the Pyeongtaek coastal plain southwest of
Seoul, the Geum River basin, the Nakdong River basin, and the Yeongsan River and the
Honam plains in the southwest. A narrow littoral plain extends along the east coast.

The major rivers flow north to south or east to west and empty into the Yellow Sea
or the Korea Strait. They tend to be broad and shallow and to have wide seasonal variations in
water flow.
In the early part of 20th century and especially the period during and after World War II and
the Korean War, much of the existing Korean forests were cut down, which led to problems
with flooding and soil erosion.

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3.2 History of South Korea
The history of South Korea formally begins with its establishment on August 15, 1948.
Korea was administratively partitioned in 1945, at the end of World War II. As Korea was
under Japanese rule during World War II, Korea was officially a belligerent
against the Allies by virtue of being Japanese territory. The unconditional surrender of Japan
led to the division of Korea into two occupation zones (similar to the four zones in Germany),
with the United States administering the southern half of the peninsula and the
Soviet Union administering the area north of the 38th parallel. This division was meant
to be temporary (as was in Germany) and was first intended to return a unified Korea back to
its people after the United States, United Kingdom, Soviet Union, and Republic of China
could arrange a single government for the peninsula.
South Korea's subsequent history is marked by alternating
periods of democratic and autocratic rule. Civilian governments are conventionally
numbered from the First Republic of Rhee Syngman to the contemporary Sixth Republic. The
First Republic, arguably democratic at its inception, became increasingly autocratic until its
collapse in 1960. The Second Republic was strongly democratic, but was overthrown in less
than a year and replaced by an autocratic military regime. The Third, Fourth, and Fifth
Republics were nominally democratic, but are widely regarded as the continuation of military
rule. With the Sixth Republic, the country has gradually stabilized into a liberal democracy.
South Korea has seen substantial development in education, economy, and culture. Since the
1960s, the country has developed from one of Asia's poorest to one of the world's wealthiest
nations. Education, particularly at the tertiary level, has expanded dramatically. It is said to be
one of the "Four Tigers" of rising Asian states along with Singapore, Taiwan and Hong
Kong.

3.3 Religion of South Korea

Religion in South Korea is characterized by the fact that a majority of South Koreans (56.1%,
as of the 2015 national census) have no formal affiliation with a religion. Among those who
are members of a religious organisation, Protestantism represents (19.7%) of the
total population, Buddhism (15.5%), and Catholicism (7.9%). A small percentage of
South Koreans (0.8% in total) are members of other religions, including
Won Buddhism, Confucianism, Cheondoism, DaesunJinrihoe, Daejongism, Jeungsanism,
and Orthodox Christianity.
Buddhism was influential in ancient times and Christianity had influenced large segments of
the population in the 18th and 19th century, yet they grew rapidly in membership only by the
mid-20th century, as part of the profound transformations that South Korean society
went through in the past century. But they have shown some decline from the year 2000
onwards. Native shamanic religions remain popular and could represent a large part of the
unaffiliated. Indeed, according to a 2012 survey, only 15% of the population declared
themselves to be not religious in the sense of "atheism". According to the 2017 census,
the proportion of the unaffiliated is higher among the youth, about 65% among the 20-years
old.

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4. The Views and Practices Concerning Factors of Human
Relationships of South Korea

South Korea maintains diplomatic relations with 190 countries. The country has also been a
member of the United Nations since 1991, when it became a member state at the same time as
North Korea. South Korea has also hosted major international events such as the 1988
Summer Olympics and 2002 World Cup Soccer Tournament (2002 FIFA World Cup co-
hosted with Japan) and the 2011 IAAF World Championships Daegu South Korea.
Furthermore, South Korea had hosted the 2018 Winter Olympics which took place
in Pyeongchang, South Korea from 9th to 25th February.
Inter-Korean relations may be divided into five periods. The first stage was between
1972 and 1973; the second stage was Pyongyang North Korea's delivery of relief goods to
South Korea after a typhoon caused devastating floods in 1984 and the third stage was the
exchange of home visits and performing artists in 1985. The fourth stage, activated by
Nordpolitik under Roh, was represented by expanding public and private contacts
between the two Koreas. The fifth stage was improved following the 1997 election of
Kim Dae-jung. His "Sunshine Policy" of engagement with North Korea set the stage
for the historic June
2000 Inter-Korean summit.
The possibility of Korean reunification has remained a prominent topic. However, no peace
treaty has yet been signed with the North. In June 2000, a historic first North Korea-South
Korea summit took place, part of the South Korea's continuing Sunshine Policy
of engagement. Since then, regular contacts have led to a cautious thaw. President Kim
was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2000 for the policy.
With that policy, continued by the following administration of president Roh Moo-
hyun, economic ties between the two countries have increased, humanitarian aid has been sent
to North Korea and some divided families have been briefly reunited. Military ties
remain fraught with tension, however, and in 2002 a brief naval skirmish left four
South Korean sailors dead, leaving the future of the Sunshine policy uncertain. The
North Korea cut off talks but the South remained committed to the policy of reconciliation
and relations began to thaw again
On May 27, 2009 North Korea media declared that the armistice is no longer valid due to the
South Korean government's pledge to "definitely join" the Proliferation Security Initiative. To
further complicate and intensify strains between the two nations, the sinking of the
South Korean warship Cheonan in March 2010, killing 46 seamen, is as of May 20, 2010
claimed by a team of researchers around the world to have been caused by a North Korean
torpedo, which the North denies. South Korea agreed with the findings from the research
group and President Lee Myung-bak declared in May 2010 that Seoul would cut all trade
with North Korea as part of measures primarily aimed at striking back at North Korea
diplomatically and financially. As a result of this, North Korea severed all ties and
completely abrogated the previous pact of non-aggression.

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5. FACTS AND STATISTICS

Location: Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the East Sea and the
Yellow Sea

Capital: Seoul

National anthem: Aegukga

Nationality: Korean

Ethnic Make-up: Homogenous (except for small percentage of the population who are from
elsewhere but reside in the country permanently). It is one of the most racially pure countries
in the world.

Population: 50,924,172 (July 2016 Est.)

Population growth rate: 0.53% (2016 Est.)

Climate: temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter

Time Zone: Korea Standard Time UTC (UTC+09:00)

Currency: South Korean ‘won’

Government: Republic

Internet penetration: 92.1% (2016)

6. LANGUAGE IN SOUTH KOREA

Koreans share one language, with approximately seventy million people around
the globe speaking Korean.

The language structure, grammar and vocabulary are similar to Japanese. Dialects are
regional; differing mainly in accent, but are so similar that comprehension for speakers, or
listeners, is not an issue. Key differences in dialect are also attributed to social status.

Korea has one of the highest literacy rates in the world due to the phonetic nature of
the written language which was invented in the mid-fifteenth century to give one
language to Koreans.

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7. Greetings

• Bowing is the traditional way to greet in South Korea

• Handshakes often accompany the bow among men
• Your left hand should support your right forearm when shaking hands
• Korean women do not always shake hands and may slightly nod instead of a full bow
• Always bow to individuals when departing

8. Religion & Beliefs

• South Korea supports religious freedom

• Confucianism, Buddhism and Christianity are the main formal religions
• Many Koreans believe in the ancestral spirit and observe Confucian rituals
• Confucianism is a political and social philosophy that pervades Korean culture

9. The Economy

• South Korea changed from an underdeveloped country, to the 11th largest economy
globally, within one generation
• South Korea is heavily dependent upon exports for its GDP; almost half of its
business is exported through products or services
• 48% of all exports are electronic
• 31% of exports are transport related cars, boats, etc.

10. Food

• Korean cuisine is based on rice, vegetables and meat

• Kimchi is the national dish and is eaten with most meals
• Kimchi is made from a variety of vegetables which are then fermented and can be
stored for long periods of time
• Banchan are side dishes – these are often made in large numbers and are served along
with the main dish
• Food is used in ceremonies, especially at weddings, birthdays and to honour ancestors

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11. Arts, Humanities & Popular Culture

• Historically, Chinese and Japanese influences were seen in South Korean art;
aesthetic concepts and motifs were shared
• Korean music and arts were linked to natural cycles and religion, giving rise to a folk
culture in rural areas that are still considered popular
• ‘Gangnam Style’ by Psy, a South Korean musician, achieved worldwide fame in
2012. The song refers to the Gangnam District of Seoul, a trendy, classy area, equated
with London, Paris or Hollywood
• Foreign influences have produced a fast food and coffee culture in recent years,
especially within Seoul
• Language has altered with the introduction of some Western phrases such as ‘eye
shopping’ window shopping.

12. Communication style

• Communication can be complicated in South Korea due to an inherent dislike of

saying ‘no’ as it is considered poor etiquette
• Respect, trust and satisfaction are displayed through a deeper bow.
• If disquiet is verbally or visibly displayed it is a sure sign that something is amiss
• Good posture and positive body language is most beneficial in meetings; patience and
politeness must be maintained throughout
• Do not use excessive or overt body language.

13. Relationship building:

Everything depends on personal relationship so it is important to spend time establishing a

good working relationship and building trust with South Koreans. They may enquire about
your personal life, in an attempt to establish your age and status, and to build a relationship
with you. You should answer these questions honestly and openly, but without being
boastful.

One can ‘borrow’ relationships, and introductions are very helpful but successful
business requires one to build ones’ own relationships. Devoted time getting to
know your counterparts both professionally and personally. Work on developing your
relationships just as you would your professional skills. Mix business with pleasure. Develop,
sustain and grow
your personal network.

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14. Handshakes:
A slight bow, followed by a handshake, is the preferred way of greeting somebody in South
Korea. More junior personnel will bow first to their senior colleagues. You should wait for
more senior personnel to offer their hand first.

South Koreans prefer a softer handshake and, during the handshake, you may support your
right forearm with your left hand. Some senior South Koreans consider eye contact as rude,
but that’s not the norm.

15. Hierarchy:
Hierarchy is an important concept is South Korean business. See ‘Meeting’ section in
this guide for details of how you should conduct business meetings with due regard for
people’s experience and seniority.

All South Korean relationship hierarchical. The individual in the ‘superior’ position is treated
with respect while the ‘junior’ is subservient sometimes to the point of rudeness by Westers
values. Age, position in the company, education and marital status all determine one’s ‘rank’
in society.

16. Names and titles:

When addressing someone in business you should use their professional for example
professor, doctor, and engineer and honorific titles.

Korean names are written surname, and then Given Name. Often in communication
with Westerns the order is reversed to accommodate our culture. Titles are very important
among South Koreans and are used when addressing in individuals. The most common
address in Korean is surname followed by titles, for example “Director Lee.”

17. Punctuality:
As has already been stated, you should be punctual for meetings and leave plenty of time for
your journey to avoid arriving late. When engaged in a business relationship, you
should ensure that deli every time are clean and that you act quickly to remedy any problems.

18. Hospitality:
Hospitality is an important part of South Korean business culture. You may be invited out of
dinner in a restaurant or, occasionally, in someone’s home. This is considerd a great honour.
You should always remove your shoes, and remember to point them towards the front door.

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19. CONCLUSION

South Korea is a highly developed country and a high-income economy, Human

Development Index, ranking 22nd in the world. South Korea has seen
substantial development in education, economy, and culture. Since the 1960s, the country has
developed from one of Asia's poorest to one of the world's wealthiest nations. Korea
has one of the highest literacy rates in the world due to the phonetic nature of the written
language which was invented in the mid-fifteenth century to give one language to
Koreans. South Korean cultural elements, especially popular culture, have spread across the
globe and became one of the most prominent cultural forces in the world.

The industrialization, urbanization and westernization of South Korea, especially Seoul, have
brought many changes to the way Korean people live. South Korea is one of East
Asia’s most affluent countries, with an economy ranking just behind Japan and China.
With most of the country covered by mountains, a majority of its population is
clustered around the urban centers. South Korea supports religious freedom.

In early 2018, South Korea welcomed athletes from around the world to the Winter
Olympic Games. South Korea has developed into one of Asia's most affluent countries since
partition in 1948. South Korea maintains diplomatic relations with 190 countries.

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REFERENCES

https://www.commisceo-global.com/resources/country-guides/south-korea-guide

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_South_Korea

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_South_Korea

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_relations_of_South_Korea

https://www.worldbusinessculture.com/country-profiles/south-korea/culture/business-
communication-style/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_South_Korea

https://www.google.com/search?ei=FQSaXP_jJ_vdz7sP1v-

https://www.hurights.or.jp/archives/focus/section2/1998/03/cultural-values-and-human-
rights-the-korean-perspective.html

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