Doing Business In South Korea
The Sociocultural Differences Between
the United States and South Korea
Major Differences

Greeting:




Business Cards:


Men Shake Hands w. Slight Bow
Women instigate handshake
Address by title or title and last
name.
Give cards out with both hands
 Comment on cards accepted prior
to putting away
 Translate one side to Korean
(Kwintessential Cross Cultural
Solutions)
More Major Differences

Gifts:




Meetings:
Do business between 10am –
12pm and 2pm – 4pm
 Be Punctual
 Most senior member enters rooms
first and sit at the middle of the
table.
(Kwintessential Cross Cultural
Solutions)


Bring gift unique to America
Gifts are important business
relationship builders in Korea.
When accepting a gift, be reluctant
at first but eventually accept.
Korean Ideology and Government

Beliefs:

Confucianism Ethics:





Collective group harmony
Establish authority to relate
Importance of family and
friends
(World Business Culture)
Government:




Considers government a stable
liberal democracy.
Considers gov't officials fairly
corrupt.
Watches Northern instability.
(Ciy Mayors)
South Korea's CPI

Corruptions Perception
Index


"the degree to which corruption is
perceived to exist among public
officials and politicians"
(Wikipedia)
 Scale of 1 to 10
 Higher Score = Less Corruption
South Korean CPI History





2008: 5.6
2007: 5.1
2006: 5.1
2005: 5.0
2004: 4.5
Conclusion



Know etiquette for
greetings, business
cards, gifts, and
meetings.
Understand Confucian
ethics and Korean
views on Government.
Koreans view of
political officials CPI
References




City Mayors: Local government South Korea. (n.d.). Retrieved March 21,
2009, from
http://www.citymayors.com/government/southkorea_government.html
Corruption Perceptions Index - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (n.d.).
Retrieved March 21, 2009, from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corruption_Perceptions_Index
Doing Business in South Korea - South Korea Business Culture - South
Korea Culture - World Business Culture. (n.d.). Retrieved March 21, 2009,
from http://www.worldbusinessculture.com/South-Korea-BusinessStyle.html
Doing Business in South Korea. (n.d.). Retrieved March 21, 2009, from
http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/etiquette/doing-business-southkorea.html