Mysteries of Korea...and how some things never change.

This Korea Times Business Section editorial speaks of Jwa Seung-hee's (president of an economic research institute for the Federation of Korean Industries) 10 mysteries of the Korean economy.

#1 Western-style economic reform has eroded the dynamism of the Korean economy.
#2 Seoul has become bigger and bigger despite the government's policy of balanced regional development.
#3 The rural community's life has become dismal despite the policy of promoting the balanced development of the rural and urban communities.
#4 Income disparity has widened despite the policy of promoting egalitarianism and redistributive policies.
#5 Competitiveness of small companies has weakened despite the policy of curbing chaebol.
#6 Economic concentration has deepened despite the policy to diffuse the concentration of economic power.
#7 The exodus of primary, middle and high school students for overseas study has increased as the government seeks to standardize schools.
#8 Government control of finance has deepened amid sloganeering for financial liberalization.
#9 The Roh administration seeks to scrap the Park Chung-hee’s economic development model, which created the Miracle on the Han River.
#10 The government has strengthened policies, which would erode corporate competitiveness.

To this business/economic list I'd like to add a cultural 10 mysteries of modern Korean culture, if I may.

#1 Koreans often speak of love for their children and the sanctity of marriage but many men (and women) have lovers on the side.
#2 Many Korean parents (or grandparents) insist that children marry Koreans, even though they send their kids overseas to study, or to hagwons (language academies) here. (N.I.M.F.T Not In My Family Tree)
#3 Everyone seems to like the promise that is living in a different country, but very few can make the move out of Korea.
#4 Koreans (especially the young) love the outdoors and clean air, but they hate to live in the country.
#5 Korean students hate learning English, but older ones seem to love taking English classes.
#6 Even after years of incredible progress Koreans always compare themselves to foreigners: the Rodeo Drive of Seoul, the Silicon Valley of Korea, the Harvard of Korea.
#7 Most Koreans seems to have a negative attitude toward U.S. soldiers here (especially those who served in KATUSA-Korean Army Training with U.S. Army) but they don't seem to want them to leave (and leave South Korea vulnerable).
#8 Koreans spend 10-16 hours a day (for years on end) studying for major exams but at the end of it all don't seem to have a stored library of knowledge to use in everyday life (or even at work!).
#9 Koreans are very (over) protective of their children, and yet they have few child restraint seats and no one uses seatbelts in the back seats.
#10 Many Koreans have dogs as pets, but many other Koreans eat dog!

Another interesting story came to me from a friend of mine. A group of 20 or so young people were on the subway when it came to a station with about 20 older folks waiting to get on. The kids were sitting down in the seats, but without a word or any signals they ALL stood up together and offered their seats to the older folks. Unreal. The more things change, the more things stay the same.