Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
barrier. It's not completely transparent, and things aren't necessarily built for ease
or efficiency. But there's absolutely a payoff for that. This is an incredibly engaging
place; you find that even while people are criticizing it they're developing an affec-
tion for it. Other places don't seem to get into your heart the way South Korea does.
I think it's this combination of ethical idealism and earthy emotion that Koreans
have. It's very nice, the idea that damaging the feelings of other people is a crime, the
hospitality, but then they also get really worked up about things and sort of lose their
rag [lose their temper] sometimes. For an Englishman who's used to being subdued,
that's actually very liberating.
Q:
How has the living environment changed for expatriates since you arrived?
A:
There's far more familiarity with the outside world than there used to be.
Young Korean couples are now honeymooning in places like Prague. There are
far more non-Koreans living here. Foreign trade is no longer seen as a bad thing.
Koreans have always been friendly, but you were always seen as an outsider before;
not so much now. It's an ever-growing economy, and there has actually been a life-
time of growth in a couple of decades. So that has created a lot of opportunity.
Q:
What aspects of the living environment need improvement?
A:
The two biggest areas in the country that need addressing are the system of
justice and the system of education. The prosecutors always win. Education is de-
signed to produce little soldiers to work in the factories; it doesn't allow for individu-
al creativity. These are two areas that need profound review or change. The best way
to improve life for foreigners is to improve life for everyone.
Q:
What advice would you give an expatriate considering setting up a business
here?
A:
Registration is the first of a range of complexities you'll have to deal with, and
you need Koreans to help you with that. You've got to be good at the accounting, the
legal issues, and the financing, or have colleagues who are.
Locals are very aware if the company they're dealing with is not Korean, but
that's not only an issue in Korea. There's sometimes an assumption by Koreans that
expatriates can teach English and hobnob with other expats, but not much beyond
that. Whether you need a Korean face really depends on what your business is; in
mine we do because we're an interface between companies and the media, so we
need to be contacting and following up with the local press and dealing with their
