Indonesians are ignorant about South Korea

Indonesians are ignorant about South Korea

JAKARTA (JP): As more and more South Korean companies are
setting up operations in Indonesia, a survey by the University of
Indonesia finds that most Indonesians are ignorant about the
country and its impressive economic record.

A seminar to review the state of bilateral relations between
Indonesia and South Korea was organized yesterday by the
University of Indonesia (UI), bringing together prominent
scholars from the two countries.

South Korean corporations, whose images have been dented by
recurring press publicity about conflicts with workers, are now
making efforts to change that view, a Korean speaker said.

"Companies such as Daewoo and Samsung are incorporating
training and education on Indonesian culture, so that when the
Korean staff arrive here, they may have a better management
record", said Kim Geung-seob, a consultant at the Center for
Korean Studies and a moderator at the seminar.

Yesterday's speakers included UI's head of international
relations studies Dr. Hero Kuntjoro-Jakti, and the Dean of
General Affairs at Hankuk University, Dr. Yang Seung-yoon.

The seminar, the second organized by UI, sought to identify
ways of promoting South Korea's cultural, political and economic
system, and how Indonesia could learn from South Korea's
successful development.

However, a yet-unpublished survey conducted by UI students
discovered that most Indonesians are ignorant of basic knowledge
of South Korea.

"We asked people in the business community what they knew of
South Korea's political system, culture, or even just the
capital, and they could not answer the questions. Some
acknowledge that South Korea is a very well-developed country,
but that is all", said Yulia, a final-year International
Relations student.

Perhaps this reflects Korea's history of isolationism, said
Dr. Yang Seung-yoon in his paper.

Overwhelmed culturally, politically, and economically by their
formidable neighbors, China and Japan, Koreans looked inward and
limited their attention to relations with their immediate
neighbors until the end of the 20th century, he said.

Culture

However, this does not indicate that Korean culture is not
distinct, he explained. In contrast to the Japanese and the
Chinese, which have been stereotypically viewed as having
"multiple faces", he contends that Koreans are very direct and do
not hide any aspect of their personality.

It is this attitude that may have earned Koreans,
particularly company managers, a negative reputation as a hard-
drinking and rough-mannered people, he added.

On the suggestion that Indonesia emulate South Korea's
development process and that development contributes to a more
democratic political environment and vice versa, Dr. Hero
Kuntjoro-Jakti says this is too simplistic.

"I do not agree that the world evolves in a unilinear fashion,
and that just because the Soviet regime has fallen, every country
will become democratic and capitalist".

South Korea developed with strong government controls, so that
the link between development and democracy remains ideal but
tenuous, he said.

Setting aside all the political idealism, the purpose of the
seminar becomes less problematic. In lieu of the rising yen and
the increasing costs of Japanese manufacturing, South Korean
manufacturers are attempting to grab Indonesia's potentially
massive middle-class market. (Dini S. Djalal)