How To....

Working Etiquette In Korea

by Charlie Chang & Fin Madden

This article is written from the Korean point of view, giving hints and tips to foreigners working in Ulsan. A companion article, Working with Foreigners, provides the foreigner's perspective.

Teaching in Korea should not be difficult, but adapting to the foreign work environment can be. Korea is an ancient country that has undergone incredible changes in the last 30 years. In some ways, the social culture has been left behind by the technology and construction. You must understand that shops come and go, but the culture does not and cannot change quickly.

Confucius

There is a common belief amongst Koreans that foreigners, especially westerners, believe that their culture is superior to Korea. Foreigners comment about how Korea copies their culture, from clothing to food. This imparts a sense of superiority. This is a mistake. Cultural superiority has gone out with colonialism. Koreans know that there are problems in their culture, and some people are working very hard to try and make changes. But complaining about a problem will not make that problem go away.

It is important to remember that when working in Korea, that you are, in fact, working in Korea. Though working in an English department, a Western contractor, or an English school, this does not mean that you are working in an English company. The Korean management style is very formulaic and institutional. The chain of command is very important; orders come from the top, and move down the chain. If there is a problem, move back up the chain. Stepping on people's heads may help in the current situation, but will damage the long term relationship between you and your immediate manager.

Usually, before a Korean person travels, they will heavily research the country of their destination, even tracking down a foreigner from that country to teach them about the culture. It is logical, then, that Koreans feel frustration when they meet foreigners who know next to nothing about their culture. If you want to make a good impression in Korea, do your utmost to learn simple things about the language and culture. For example, when handing an object to someone, use both hands.

The Korean alphabet is very simple, and can be learned in a matter of hours. Nothing will impress a Korean person more than you being able to read their name, in Korean, from a business card.  Showing interest in Korean culture is an easy way to get the respect of your co-workers and your management.

Please understand that Korea is, or until recently, was, a developing nation. With a savage history of invasion after invasion, foreign control and civil war, Koreans are very sensitive to foreign criticism.  When criticizing something about life in Korea, first, begin with a compliment about the nation, and then fit in your criticism. Comparing your country to Korea is going to lead to problems. If you find yourself starting every sentence with "In MY country, WE...” perhaps you should reconsider your purpose of visit? Travelers shouldn't be missionaries, they should learn from their environment. There are many problems in Korea, but there are also many good things. Try and find the good, not the bad.

Korea is, or was, Confucian. This might not mean much to you, but it quickly will. In Confucianism, everything played a proper role. There was a direct chain of command and respect. Though you are a foreigner, you DO fit into this system. You must understand that an older person deserves your respect simply for being older. You might not like the system, but it has been in Korea for countless generations, and isn't going to change because you don't like it.

It is good to know some things about the Korean work culture. Koreans believe in working long hours. Quantity is valued by many bosses over quality. It is common for office workers to not be able to leave work until the boss does, and some bosses like to stay as late as possible. A Korean staff member simply cannot leave (in most cases) before his boss does. As a foreigner, you might be exempt from this rule, but there could very well be bad blood created in such a situation.

Teams, and team membership is also critical here. The team is the most important part of the Korean working environment, and team relationships are formed, in most workplaces, in one way. By drinking. Being able to drink well is important in many Korean companies. If you are a solid drinker, you can earn respect from many staff members. In some companies there is a sort of Drinking-Darwinism, where the strongest drinkers survive and thrive. If you find yourself in this sort of environment, where the boss is constantly pushing you to drink, there are, sadly, two real options. Raise a glass, or submit your resignation. If you cannot stand the situation, your chances of changing your bosses behaviour is slim to none, it might just be easier on everyone if you changed your workplace.

Don't be late to work. Even if you've been pulling all-nighters drinking with staff, it is absolutely critical that you arrive on time. Lateness is not acceptable in Korea. Blaming the traffic is also a weak excuse, as the traffic is always bad, and you should plan for it.

One difference in work culture that can cause problems is eye contact. In the west, it is polite to look someone in the eye. Looking away would show dishonesty. In Korea, it is different. Eye contact with a superior means confrontation and aggression. A friendly meeting can quickly disintegrate if the foreigner keeps 'staring down' his boss, though the foreigner is only trying to be polite and honest.

Staff meetings, in Korea (like much of the world) are 80% chatting and criticism. Very little is accomplished. If you wish to get your point across, you must have a plan. Speaking from the heart is beautiful, but useless. You must have an organized plan to present your information, showing the positive. If you are negative or critical, the ears of your boss will likely be closed. A positive attitude will work wonders.

Don't be a jack-of-all-trades. It is believed that someone who is good at everything CANNOT be excellent at everything. Instead, show your specialties in one area, and let them know that you are the master. Specialists are regarded much higher than a person of general skill.

If you have been sick, made a mistake, or insulted someone, the best way to deal with the problem is a box of fruit juice. It sounds odd, but nothing will go over better than a box of tiny bottles of orange juice. Saying sorry and meaning it is alright. Losing face is acceptable if you can buy it back with juice.

As a foreigner, you are not something new. Something like 5% of the population has studied overseas in the last 10 years. Most children have had multiple foreign teachers, and many workplaces have had foreign contractors before you, and will have foreign contractors after you. You don't have to become a Korean to be respected, but you must at least be able to understand the imperfections that make this country what it is.

And if you really don't like it, you can always go home.



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