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Max Dyal

Customs of S. Korea - 0 views

  • It is customary to bring a small gift when visiting a South Korean home. It's better to bring a small token and not an ostentatious object that calls attention to you. Fruit, flowers, and chocolates are popular gifts for these occasions.
  • South Koreans generally sit, eat, and sleep on the floor, so you will be expected to remove your shoes upon entering a South Korean home and some schools and restaurants. Bare feet may be offensive to people of the older generations, so it's best to wear socks when visiting (be sure they're clean and free of holes! 
  • In addition to chopsticks, South Koreans regularly use soup spoons at meals. The chopsticks are used primarily for side dishes, while the spoon is used for soup and rice. Unlike in Japan, it's not appropriate to pick up your rice bowl while eating. All plates and bowls should stay on the table. Drinking customs in South Korea are also different than in Japan. Use both hands when pouring a drink for someone, because it shows respect. Though filling a companion's glass with beer or soju (similar to vodka) is appropriate, it's essential that the glass is completely empty before pouring. This may seem like a trivial concern, but will count for a lot in the eyes of your South Korean friends.
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  • Among young people, the person who issued the invitation usually pays. If you're out with a group, the bill is split and everyone pitches in. Among older Koreans, one person will take care of the bill, and roles will switch the next time.
  • Tipping is not a traditional Korean custom; however, a 10 percent service charge is added to bills at all tourist hotels and tipping is not expected. It's never necessary to tip a taxi driver unless he assists you with your luggage or takes you to or from the airport.
  • South Koreans are averse to overt physical contact between members of the opposite sex. They generally limit interpersonal contact to a courteous handshake; however, very good friends are often physical with each other, so don't be surprised to see men and women walking hand-in-hand with a member of the same sex. Public displays of affection between couples, like hugging and kissing, are considered very improper.
  • South Korean public baths, moyoktang, are wonderful. After a long, stressful day, there's nothing like a steamy sauna and bath to wash away your troubles. Moyoktang are found throughout the city and cost about W2,352 (US$2.85). There are usually showers to use before entering the hot tub. Many places also have a cold water tank, which is amazingly refreshing after a piping hot sauna. A special feature of the baths is the underwear-clad massage. For about W6,000–W8,000 ($7.30–$9.70 plus tip) the masseuses will scrub you down with hot water and towels, removing all traces of grime. You've never known the true meaning of "squeaky-clean" until you've experienced the wonderful traditions at the public bath.
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    here leg hann
Emily Sobieski

South Korea: Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette - 0 views

  • Family welfare is much more important than the needs of the individual.
  • Meeting Etiquette
  • Wait to be introduced at a social gathering.
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  •  Bring fruit or good quality chocolates or flowers if invited to a Korean's home.
  • The number 4 is considered unlucky, so gifts should not be given in multiples of 4.
  • Wrap gifts in red or yellow paper, since these are royal colours. Alternatively, use yellow or pink paper since they denote happiness.
  • Do not wrap gifts in green, white, or black paper.
  • Gift Giving Etiquette
    • Sarah Snow
       
      All things listed below are important
  • Remove your shoes before entering the house.
  • Send a thank you note the following day after being invited to dinner.
  • Chopsticks should be returned to the table after every few bites and when you drink or stop to speak.
  • Do not pick up food with your hands. Fruit should be speared with a toothpick.
  • Try a little bit of everything. It is acceptable to ask what something is.
  • Dress Etiquette
  • Under no circumstances insult or to criticize in front of others.
  • This is a culture where "less is more" when communicating. Respond to questions directly and concisely.
  • Appointments are required and should be made 3 to 4 weeks in advance.
  • It is a good idea to send both an agenda and back-up material including information about your company and client testimonials prior to the meeting.
  • Have all written materials available in both English and Korean.
  •  Have one side of your business card translated into Korean.
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    good info about culture
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    ·Bow and say good bye to each person when you are leaving a party ·Wait to be introduced at a social gathering ·Person of lower status bows to those of higher status ·Use both hands when you are giving a gift ·Arrive up to 30 minutes late for a dinner ·Take off your shoes before you enter a persons house ·Eldest person is served dinner first ·Wait to be seated don't sit until you are told so
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    South Korea customs and stuff like that...
Jessica Weckhorst

YONHAP NEWS - 0 views

  • Seoul recently agreed to reopen its market to most U.S. beef cuts, lifting a five-year ban placed after the outbreak of the first mad cow case in the United States. The decision reached on April 18 is expected to permit U.S. beef shipments to arrive here around in mid May.
  • "We are very pleased that Korea has taken the decision," Vershbow said, "And this agreement is based on international scientific standards, which I think is the only policy for trading nations that they want to observe, that they want to have healthy economic relations with other nations."The Lee Myung-bak administration, however, faced mounting domestic criticism for rushing to the beef agreement despite lingering concerns over mad cow disease and feared impact on the local cattle industry
  • Resuming U.S. beef imports has been considered a key condition for Seoul gaining U.S. ratification of the free trade agreement
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  • The U.S. ambassador to Seoul said Wednesday that Korea's decision to resume U.S. beef imports will strengthen their bilateral alliance and that he was confident Seoul's free trade pact with Washington will get ratified in the U.S. within this year.
  • The U.S. envoy noted opposition in the U.S. Congress in the presidential election year but said he was "confident" that it will get ratified within U.S. President George W. Bush's term.
  • Nonetheless, President Bush explained to President Lee in Camp David less than two weeks ago that it is a priority for him to get Congress to ratify KORUS-FTA in 2008 and I'm confident he can meet that goal
  • We often refer to FTA as a 'win-win' agreement because both Korea and the United States will benefit, but it might be more appropriate to call it a 'win-win-win-win' because not
  • only the countries benefit but because businesses and consumers will benefit as well," he said.
staci fink

S.Korea's ruling party urges president to calm public anger over U.S. beef import plan ... - 0 views

  • S.Korea's ruling party urges president to calm public anger over U.S. beef import plan SEOUL, South Korea -- South Korea's ruling party chief urged the president Monday to revamp his Cabinet to calm a growing public outcry over the government's plan to restart imports of U.S. beef this week. Leave a Comment
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    SEOUL, South Korea -- South Korea's ruling party chief urged the president Monday to revamp his Cabinet to calm a growing public outcry over the government's plan to restart imports of U.S. beef this week. Leave a Comment
Alex Thompson

Health Care in S. K. - 0 views

  • Some physicians and hospitals will not accept overseas health insurance and therefore may require you to pay up front; however, if you or your employer pay taxes then you are entitled to health insurance through your employer
  • no vaccinations are required to enter South Korea, but you should be sure your rabies and tetanus/diptheria shots are up-to-date, and vaccination for hepatitis
  • if you will be living in or spending significant time traveling in rural areas, a vaccination for Japanese encephalitis is recommended
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  • traveling around Asia
  • get cholera and yellow fever inoculations
  • Korean-made drugs are generally safe, sanitary, and inexpensive—even without insurance. They are available in pharmacies like those in the United States or Canada.
  • problems as minor as a cold or rash you may be given a shot or series of shots.
  • Some treatments require that you go to a clinic for a shot and medicine every day for a week or more. Should you need to visit a doctor, bring a Korean friend with you to ask questions.
  • English is spoken at some hospitals in South Korea, especially in international clinics and hospitals in larger cities
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    gives some hospitals that you can go to that speak english and it tells you what kind of shots yous should take before coming to korea.
Jessica Weckhorst

North Korea rejects liaison office proposal from South Korea - Boston.com - 0 views

  • North Korea rejected a proposal from South Korea's new conservative president to establish liaison offices in both countries
  • SEOUL, South Korea—North Korea rejected a proposal from South Korea's new conservative president to establish liaison offices in both countries calling it a public relations exercise aimed at covering up deteriorating ties on the divided peninsula.
  • The proposal was Lee's first overture to the communist nation.
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  • Lee made the offer in an interview with the Washington Post last week during a visit to the United States for talks with President Bush, saying the countries need a better channel of communication.
  • Relations between the divided Koreas have chilled since Lee took office in February with a pledge to get tough on Pyongyang. Lee says he opposes unconditional assistance to the North and calls for its nuclear disarmament as a precondition for economic cooperation.
  • North Korea has bristled at the hard-line stance, and since late last month has expelled South Korean officials from a shared industrial complex, test-fired missiles, and threatened to reduce the South to "ashes." The Korean War ended in 1953 with a truce, not a peace treaty, which means the two sides technically remain at war. Relations improved significantly under Lee's two liberal predecessors -- Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun -- who pursued detente with North Korea with massive aid and concessions
staci fink

Soc 202 - Current Events: North Korea vs. South Korea - 0 views

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    According to analysts, the attitude taken by the North Korean government is a direct response to South Korea's recently-toughened attitude, which has urged de-nuclearization and sided with the U.S. government on a number of political issues. <!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--> <!--[if !supportEmptyParas]-->Their rocky relationship is nothing new; they have been, at least, in a state of semi-war since the Korean War ended in 1953. <!--[endif]--> <!--[if !supportEmptyParas]-->The South Korean Defense Ministry said North Korea "was intentionally interpreting Seoul's objectives and remarks by its officials in a malicious manner." <!--[endif]--> To an uninvolved citizen of a relatively separatist state, this news, although new to me, isn't personally provocative. While I hope that their issues are resolved peaceably (which seems unlikely), I remain, for the moment, relatively ignorant and thus uninvolved.
Alex Thompson

South Korea - Health Care and Social Welfare - 0 views

  • he number of physicians, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, and other health personnel and the number of hospitals and clinics have increased dramatically since the Korean War
  • In 1974 the population per physician was 2,207; by 1983 this number had declined to 1,509. During the same period, the number of general hospitals grew from 36 to 156 and the number of hospital beds tripled from 19,062 to 59,099
  • Rural areas had limited medical facilities, because in the past there was little incentive for physicians to work in areas outside the cities,
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    Korea over the centuries has used acupuncture and herbal treatments to cure illnesses. Ginseng was a popular herb sold in stores and was used through the 1980s. The South Korean government committed itself to making medical security (medical insurance and medical aid) available to virtually the entire population by 1991.
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    Health Care in South Korea
Jenna Griffis

About Korea - 0 views

  • Korea recently pulled through an economic storm that began in late 1997. This crisis, which roiled markets all across Asia, had threatened Korea's remarkable economic achievements
  • Korea, once known to be one of the world's poorest agrarian societies, has undertaken economic development in earnest since 1962. In less than four decades, it achieved what has become known as the "Miracle on the Hangang River" - an incredible process that dramatically transformed the Korean economy while marking a turning point in Korea's history.
  • With a history as one of the fastest growing economies in the world, Korea is working to become the focal point of a powerful Asian economic bloc during the 21st century
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  • The goal of the nation is to overcome problems rooted in the past by creating an economic structure suitable for an advanced economy.
  • Korea, once known to be one of the world's poorest agrarian societies, has undertaken economic development in earnest since 1962
  • many successful development programs were implemented. As a result, from 1962 to 2006, Korea's Gross National Income (GNI) increased from US$2.3 billion to US$887.3 billion, with its per capita GNI soaring from $87 to about $18,372.
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    good stuff abut everything
staci fink

South Korea - The Economy - 0 views

shared by staci fink on 29 Apr 08 - Cached
  • IN THE FIRST THREE decades after the Park Chung Hee government launched the First Five-Year Economic Development Plan in 1962, the South Korean economy grew enormously and the economic structure was radically transformed. South Korea's real gross national product (GNP) expanded by an average of more than 8 percent per year, from US$2.3 billion in 1962 to US$204 billion in 1989. Per capita annual income grew from US$87 in 1962 to US$4,830 in 1989. The manufacturing sector grew from 14.3 percent of the GNP in 1962 to 30.3 percent in 1987. Commodity trade volume rose from US$480 million in 1962 to a projected US$127.9 billion in 1990. The ratio of domestic savings to GNP grew from 3.3 percent in 1962 to 35.8 percent in 1989.
Stephanie Malamas

Korea (South Korea) Visa Requirements Page - 0 views

    • Jennifer Dorman
       
      This is important info for all group wikis.
  • REQUIREMENTS TO OBTAIN VISA TO ENTER SOUTH KOREA Requirements for U.S. Citizens, Tourist or Business TravelRequirements for U.S. Official or Diplomatic Passport HoldersRequirements for U.S. Military DependentsRequirements for Non-US Citizens Applying in USA
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    This page has links to instructions and documents for American citizens to optain working visas for South Korea.
Alayna Auerbach

Korean Language Practice- main - 0 views

  • Learn Korean Now.
  • Also visit the Language Exchange board to find someone to help you practice.
  • BUY NOW!
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  • Hangul is the simplest writing system in the world
  • blocks, each one representing a single syllable
  • rows reading left to right
  • use informal speech to children
  • formal speech to older people
  • Koreans do not expect foreigners to be fluent and will usually excuse minor mistakes
  • enroll in any of the numerous courses offered by Korean universities and private organizations.
Alayna Auerbach

Getting to Korea|Travel Advice - 0 views

  • Korea is connected by air to every major capital in the world
  • 37 international airlines
  • over 1,500 flights into and out of Korea every week
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  • Gimpo for Seoul,
    • Alayna Auerbach
       
      Use this!
  • has opened new routes between Seoul and destinations in Europe, America and the Middle East
  • Korea City Air Terminal (KCAT) is in Seoul's Gangnam business district next to the Korea World Trade Center in Samseong-dong
  • Special airport buses and city buses leave from various points in Seoul every 15 minutes from 5:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m
  • 19 major hotels in Seoul
  • This enables any passenger on a round-the-world ticket to visit Korea at no additional charge.
  • Temporary entry for private cars is allowed for passengers arriving by ferry, providing that drivers obtain the proper documentation.
Jake Ludwig

Background Essay no. 68 | South Korean Education | AskAsia.org - 0 views

  • The Korean public education structure is divided into three parts: six years of primary school, followed by three years of middle school and then three years of high school
  • The primary curriculum consists of nine principal subjects: moral education, Korean language, social studies, mathematics, science, physical education, music, fine arts, and practical arts.
  • High schools are divided into academic and vocational schools
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  • Upon completion of primary school, students advance to middle school, which comprises grades seven through nine. The curriculum consists of 12 basic or required subjects, electives, and extracurricular activities
  • school calendar has two semesters, the first extending from March through July and the second from September through February. There are summer and winter breaks, but 10 optional half days at the beginning and end of each break
  • A typical day finds high schoolers studying before school begins at about 8:00 A.M. Classes run for 50 minutes each, with a morning break and a 50-minute lunch period. The afternoon session resumes at about 1:00 P.M., and classes continue until about 4:00 or 4:30, followed by the cleaning of the classroom. Students may then take a short dinner break at home, or they may eat at school
  • Elementary and middle school students have similar but somewhat less rigorous days with shorter hours and more recreational activities.
  • Students return to the school library to study or attend private schools or tutoring sessions until between 10:00 P.M. and midnight.
  • Attendance requirements call for a minimum of 220 days at all three levels
  • Most instruction we observed consisted of teacher lectures, with only rare interruptions for questions. If students had questions, they might speak to the teacher after class
  • discipline problems were infrequent, and great respect for teachers was evident. Students bowed, as is the custom, when passing teachers in the halls and appeared hesitant to enter faculty offices.
  • Korean teachers still have more responsibility for counseling students and controlling their behavior than do teachers in the United States. Korean culture grants teachers the same authority as parents and attributes them even greater responsibility for children's moral and academic development.
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    SOUTH KOREAN EDUCATION!! background, etc.
Kayla

At Korean Restaurant - Korean Table Manner, Etiquette - 0 views

  • Table Reminders1. The eldest person present begins eating first.2. Chopsticks should not be left in the rice or soup bowl during or after the meal.3. The rice or soup bowl should not be held in one's hands while eating.4. The hand and arms should not be placed on the table while eating.5. One should not tear food into pieces using fingers.6. One must remain at the table until the last person has finished eating.
    • Kayla
       
      this area givs a really good idea of what to do in a South Korean Resturant!
  • The main dish is almost always accompanied by rice, soup, kimchi and several side dishes. Koreans eat their rice and soup with a spoon (which was reportedly first invented by the Koreans),
    • Kayla
       
      This tells you what the food is usally
  • Use the spoon for rice and the chopsticks for side dishes, but you can ask for forks or knives at restaurants. Do not stir your rice or your soup. Do not leave the spoon or chopsticks in the rice as it symbolizes their use by the dead. Knives are used only in the preparation of food, not as eating utensils because Korean food is either pre-cut into bite-sized pieces or is soft enough to be pulled apart using chopsticks.
    • Kayla
       
      This is telling us what to use as you are eating
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  • Dessert nearly always consists of fresh fruit. Foods of any kind should not be picked up with your fingers. Fruit is eaten in slices with forks
    • Kayla
       
      this is tellinghow to eat our desert
  • Also, do not blow your nose when anyone is present, especially if eating.
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    this shows how to eat in a korean resturant
Sam Gladnick

South Korea - 0 views

  • North and South Koreans speak and write the same language.&nbsp; It is derived from the Ural-Altaic family, which also includes Turkish, Hungarian, Finnish, Mongolian, Tibetan and Japanese.&nbsp; The written Korean language is called Hangeul, consisting of 10 vowels and 14 consonants.&nbsp; King Sejong invented it in the 15th century.&nbsp; Hangeul is considered easy to learn and write, contributing to Korea’s high literacy rates (98% over age 15).
  • Freedom of religion is guaranteed by the Constitution in Korea.&nbsp; 50.7 percent of Koreans follow a specific religious faith.&nbsp; Followers of Buddhism and Protestants are in the highest numbers, followed by Catholics.&nbsp; Other practicing faiths are Shamanism, Taoism, and Islam. Confucian tenets or Confucian doctrine is deeply embedded in many Koreans' lives, regardless of religion.
  • Seoul’s subway system is the eight-largest in the world.&nbsp; The railway system includes over 4,000 passenger trains and 13,000 freight trains.&nbsp; In 1998, the nation’s highways exceeded 2,000 km.&nbsp; International airports serve 74 cities throughout the world.&nbsp; Ocean liners, cruise ships, cargo ships and container ships are a frequent site at Korean ports.
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  • Korea, like other countries in the temperate, has four distinct seasons.&nbsp; Spring begins in late March, with occasional drizzle.&nbsp; Summer is hot and humid with monsoon rains beginning in June and heaviest in July.&nbsp; Autumn is rather short, lasting from the end of September to November.&nbsp; Winter is cold and dry from December to February.&nbsp; Spells of cold weather normally alternate with days of warmer weather.
Sam Gladnick

South Korean Liberation Day - Page 1 - 0 views

  • Korea has many National Holidays. Korea has four National Celebration Days; October 3rd to commemorate the founding of ancient Korea in 2333 BC, March 1st to commemorate an independence movement in 1919, August 15th to commemorate the liberation form the Japanese rule in 1945 at the Japanese surrender to the USA, and July 17th for the declaration of our constitution in 1948.
  • The Yi Dynasty started in 1392
Ian Gill

Despite slowing global economy, South Korea keeps growth target - International Herald ... - 0 views

  • South Korea's finance ministry said on Monday it was maintaining its 2008 economic growth target of around 6 percent, due to deregulation and tax cuts, despite a slowing global economy. Economic growth in 2007 was 4.9 percent. Asia's fourth-largest economy is expected to be capable of 7-percent growth and have a stable current account and prices in five years, the Ministry of Strategy and Finance said in a report to the new president, Lee Myung-bak. "The new government will endeavor to achieve a growth target of some 6 percent, continuing efforts for economic recovery and managing risk factors," said the ministry.
Michelle Pio

BBC NEWS | Business | South Korean economy slows down - 0 views

  • Gross domestic product grew 0.7% from the previous quarter, down from the 1.6% expansion seen at the end of 2007. Falling exports were largely to blame for the quarterly slowdown along with weak consumer spending. President Lee Myung-bak took office in February promising to boost annual growth to 7% - it grew 5% in 2007. The investment bank Goldman Sachs said it was keeping its growth forecast for the full year at 4.8% despite the weak quarterly figures. It predicted the government's programme of tax-cuts and deregulation would boost growth while the weak currency would help exporters. Inflation figures were also released on Friday, with consumer prices rising 3.9% in the year to the end of March. That figure is above the government's target of between 2.5% and 3.5% for the fourth month running.
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    yo, this site is popin like lil mama lip gloss!
Sam Gladnick

South Korea - 0 views

  • Today, most South Koreans think that religion is an important part of their everyday lives—unlike the Japanese and Chinese who generally do not think this.
  • Buddhism and Christianity are the main religions in South Korea.
  • What this chart does not teach you, though, is that many South Koreans do not practice a specific religion or they do not claim to belong to a temple or church. According to one study, almost half of the South Korean population claims to have no religion. So, although there are more people practicing organized religions in South Korea than in China or Japan, this is still much fewer than in the United States, for instance
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