+ Confucian thought influences the position of the individual in Korean culture. It is a system of behaviors and ethics that stresses the obligations of people towards one another based upon their relationship. The five basic relationships are:

Ruler and subject
Husband and wife
Parents and children
Brothers and sisters
Friend and friend

+ Chusok is a Korean holiday of giving thanks. It occurs during the harvest season and Korean families thank their ancestors for providing them with rice and fruit. On Chusok, people cook and set out food to celebrate their ancestors.

+ Kibun is a word with no literal translation; the closest terms are mood, feelings or state of mind. If you hurt someone’s kibun, you hurt their pride and cause them to lose dignity and face. Korean interpersonal relationships operate on the principle of harmony. It is important to maintain a peaceful, comfortable atmosphere, even if it means telling a being slightly untruthful.

+ In business, for example, a manager’s kibun is damaged if his subordinates do not show proper respect. A subordinate’s kibun is damaged if his manager criticizes him in public.

+ Greetings are friendly and follow strict rules of protocol. The most common greeting is a bow accompanied by the phrase “Anyanghasaeyo,” which literally means “Are you well?” and is generally translated as “Hello.” Many South Koreans shake hands with foreigners after the bow, thereby blending cultural styles.

+ Most executives’ offices are not on the same floor as their staffs’. Seniority is equated with rank and authority and demands strict conformity to a meticulously prescribed protocol. At the same time, South Koreans are amenable to adopting Western concepts of management.

+ Since this is a hierarchical culture, most decisions are made at the top and then given to the employees to implement.

- from RW3′s CultureWizard® Country Profiles

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