South Korea
Business etiquette
A state in Southeast Asia. The official name is the Republic of Korea. Population is 51.3 million (as of 2020). The capital is Seoul. The state language is Korean. The republic is presidential. The main religions are Christianity and Buddhism.
South Korea
Greeting
The customary form of greeting in South Korea is a weak, soft handshake accompanied by a slight bow with minimal eye contact. While shaking hands, a Korean may put his/her left hand on the wrist of the right as a gesture of respect and support.
If you are meeting with a group of Korean partners, begin your greeting with the most senior person in age or position. The oldest person in attendance should initiate the handshake.
Another greeting ritual in addition to the handshake is the bow. This traditional form of greeting is still practiced today in South Korea, although less so among young people.
The bow in Korean culture is not only a form of greeting but often has an additional meaning which varies depending on its depth and duration. The bow "involves" the entire upper body from the waist line, with the head bowed down and the gaze directed downward.
In business situations, particularly when greeting or introducing others, the bow should have an angle of 30°. The bow that is the deepest and most respectful (45° angle) is also intended to express stronger feelings (such as apology or gratitude).
The bow for people of equal status should be both deep and long.
foreigners need not bow to greet their partners in South Korea, but only a handshake. Korean businessmen can even combine a bow with a handshake to greet foreigners.
Introduction
Some sources claim that there are 273 surnames in South Korea, but over 50% of the population have the following surnames: Kim, Lee, Park (Pak), Choi (Choe), Chong (Jung, Chung).
The every Korean, besides their surname, has two names they receive at birth, the first of which is a proper name, the second is often called a generation name (it is given to all children in family born in one generation), although it is not always.
The family name and both names are usually single-syllable, e.g. Woo-bin Kim (Woo Bin Kim), where Woo is the proper name, Bin is the middle name (or generation name), Kim is the family name. The middle name in this case is Bin -but it is still a first name and does not relate to the last name.
The Korean tradition is to put the last name first and then the first name. Only use your partner's last name (first name should be used only within family or among friends).
When addressing each other, business partners in South Korean society commonly use polite forms, titles or professional qualifications followed by the last name. If you speak English, use English expressions such as Mr, Mrs, Ms, Miss, for example: Mr Lee, Mrs Kim, Ms Jang.
South Korean women retain their maiden name after marriage.
Exchange of Business Cards
The business card should have standard information including your first and last name, title, company name, and all necessary contact information.
It's very important to include your title or position within the company, especially if you're not the manager but rather a department manager for example. This will be the deciding factor for the Korean side when deciding who your business partner should be.
South Korean business people generally use business cards with English text. But if you plan to work with Koreans for a long time it makes sense to order bilingual business cards in both Korean and English.
Business cards should be exchanged after the greeting and formal introduction. The business card should be given to everyone at the meeting, starting with the person in charge, who is usually the first one to greet guests.
There is a ritual for exchanging business cards. They are handed and received with both hands. After receiving the card, read the information on it and ask a few questions to your partner as a sign of respect, then put it on your desk in front of you or in your business card case. Do not put the business card in your pocket or purse.
Give your business card with Korean text on the front side facing your partner. The back side can be in English or your native language.
Do not take notes on the card and do not fold it.
Small Talk: Overview
The main thing in communication is to maintain harmony and keep the faces of interlocutors. For this reason speech can be full of ambiguous statements often with a subtle undertone.
The way of speaking in South Korea is unhurried, with no strong emotional background, and with pauses in the conversation. Silence is an important part of conversation and should not be filled.
They view silence as a natural form of non-verbal communication that is a continuation of conversation. On the contrary, excessive talkativeness is badly perceived. It is considered a sign of immaturity and inexperience. If you stop talking, they are probably just thinking about their answer.
The neutral style of Korean conversation involves etiquette, not using body language and body gestures, and staying away from urgent situations.
It's important to be polite to your interlocutor in social and business situations.
Don't be surprised if your South Korean partner asks you questions about your family or your position in the company while you're talking. It's not considered inappropriate. However, do not initiate such questions to the interlocutor.
Preferred Topics
Safe topics of small talk are those related to business or profession.
Main events, trends in world politics and economics.
Any acquaintance (if any).
All aspects of Korean culture, history would also be well-received for discussion.
Famous places, places of interest in South Korea, positive impressions of what they have seen.
Any topic where interests of the talkers overlap.
Taboo Topics
Home, family is one of the closed topics, at least at the beginning of the business relationship. Your South Korean partner may share some personal details with you as they develop.
Family, especially divorce, can be a taboo subject.
Contain from speaking out, much less criticizing the government, its activities, or its policies in any direction.
Comparing South Korea to Japan and China.
Wage levels or income sources of Koreans. Keep in mind that your colleague in that country might ask you about the same in your country. It is not considered a tactless question.
Personal Space
South Korea has a shorter distance to communicate comfortably than other Asian countries, such as Japan. If possible, avoid stepping back in an attempt to increase this distance. This will be taken as rude and unfriendly.
Both verbal (shouts, exclamations) and nonverbal (hugs or pats on the back) displays of emotion during conversations are unlikely to be.accepted by your Korean partner.
In communication, Koreans use little body language and gestures.
Unlike other Asian cultures, South Korea makes direct but non-intense eye contact between speakers. This indirectly indicates the establishment of a trusting relationship between speakers.
Communication Specifics
The main emphasis in South Korean culture is on establishing long-term relationships and interdependence among family, clan, group, or community members. People live together for a long time and interact with each other all the time, so some information is considered to be known by all, it's a kind of invisible presence, so there's no need to repeat it over and over.
Koreans believe words can be manipulated, unlike non-verbal communication, which includes facial expression, gestures, smile, voice tone, gaze, and posture. They allow a much more accurate determine the state and intentions of the interlocutor. It is these gestures that are the basis of nunchi the art of understanding other people's feelings and thoughts.
To maintain relationships because of their importance in Korean society it is important to be tactful, avoid harsh judgements and not express your thoughts too straightforwardly in general.
The rejection of harsh statements refers primarily to the word "no," which many try not to use in speech because it can cause a loss of face and thereby disturb the harmony. If the speaker does need to express a negative answer, it may look rather evasive in South Korea. For example, you might say, "It would be hard to do."
When you talk, avoid asking general questions that require a "yes" or "no" answer, especially if it could be interpreted as a request. Your partner may agree to do what you ask, but it will be something he or she would not want to do. Instead of a direct refusal, he will politely but evasively agree. It is important to catch some nonverbal signs of his true intent. Whether an agreement is expressed in a warm and emotional manner or in a detached and cautious manner can be a clue."
A frank rejection in the conversation will cause a Korean to display negative emotions such as anger, rage, or annoyance.
An outright rejection in the conversation will cause a Korean to display negative emotions such as anger.
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