Indonesians are ignorant about South Korea<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): As more and more South Korean companies are
\nsetting up operations in Indonesia, a survey by the University of
\nIndonesia finds that most Indonesians are ignorant about the
\ncountry and its impressive economic record.<\/p>\n
A seminar to review the state of bilateral relations between
\nIndonesia and South Korea was organized yesterday by the
\nUniversity of Indonesia (UI), bringing together prominent
\nscholars from the two countries.<\/p>\n
South Korean corporations, whose images have been dented by
\nrecurring press publicity about conflicts with workers, are now
\nmaking efforts to change that view, a Korean speaker said.<\/p>\n
\"Companies such as Daewoo and Samsung are incorporating
\ntraining and education on Indonesian culture, so that when the
\nKorean staff arrive here, they may have a better management
\nrecord\", said Kim Geung-seob, a consultant at the Center for
\nKorean Studies and a moderator at the seminar.<\/p>\n
Yesterday's speakers included UI's head of international
\nrelations studies Dr. Hero Kuntjoro-Jakti, and the Dean of
\nGeneral Affairs at Hankuk University, Dr. Yang Seung-yoon.<\/p>\n
The seminar, the second organized by UI, sought to identify
\nways of promoting South Korea's cultural, political and economic
\nsystem, and how Indonesia could learn from South Korea's
\nsuccessful development.<\/p>\n
However, a yet-unpublished survey conducted by UI students
\ndiscovered that most Indonesians are ignorant of basic knowledge
\nof South Korea.<\/p>\n
\"We asked people in the business community what they knew of
\nSouth Korea's political system, culture, or even just the
\ncapital, and they could not answer the questions. Some
\nacknowledge that South Korea is a very well-developed country,
\nbut that is all\", said Yulia, a final-year International
\nRelations student.<\/p>\n
Perhaps this reflects Korea's history of isolationism, said
\nDr. Yang Seung-yoon in his paper.<\/p>\n
Overwhelmed culturally, politically, and economically by their
\nformidable neighbors, China and Japan, Koreans looked inward and
\nlimited their attention to relations with their immediate
\nneighbors until the end of the 20th century, he said.<\/p>\n
Culture<\/p>\n
However, this does not indicate that Korean culture is not
\ndistinct, he explained. In contrast to the Japanese and the
\nChinese, which have been stereotypically viewed as having
\n\"multiple faces\", he contends that Koreans are very direct and do
\nnot hide any aspect of their personality.<\/p>\n
It is this attitude that may have earned Koreans,
\nparticularly company managers, a negative reputation as a hard-
\ndrinking and rough-mannered people, he added.<\/p>\n
On the suggestion that Indonesia emulate South Korea's
\ndevelopment process and that development contributes to a more
\ndemocratic political environment and vice versa, Dr. Hero
\nKuntjoro-Jakti says this is too simplistic.<\/p>\n
\"I do not agree that the world evolves in a unilinear fashion,
\nand that just because the Soviet regime has fallen, every country
\nwill become democratic and capitalist\".<\/p>\n
South Korea developed with strong government controls, so that
\nthe link between development and democracy remains ideal but
\ntenuous, he said.<\/p>\n
Setting aside all the political idealism, the purpose of the
\nseminar becomes less problematic. In lieu of the rising yen and
\nthe increasing costs of Japanese manufacturing, South Korean
\nmanufacturers are attempting to grab Indonesia's potentially
\nmassive middle-class market. (Dini S. Djalal)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/indonesians-are-ignorant-about-south-korea-1447893297",
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"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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