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The New Korea: An Inside Look at South Korea's Economic Rise

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In 1953, South Korea was rated by the U.N. as the poorest country in the world. Five decades later, it is the fifteenth largest economy. Now, South Korea's decisions on how to manage its society and its role as a modern democracy while also establishing its policy regarding reunification with North Korea will determine where the country will go in the next fifty years. "The New Korea" examines the political, economic, industrial, and societal aspects of Korea today. Will it continue to enjoy an economic boom through new industries while competing against low-wage countries like China and India? Will it return to its role as a stomping ground for other powers? And what should Westerners pay attention to in terms of investment and business opportunities? As South Korea enters the most critical phase of its journey, it is crucial that we understand the factors involving its decisions and evolution. "The New Korea" is a fascinating account of what is and may become the state of this import

280 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2010

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Profile Image for Deekonda NarsingaRao.
1 review
May 9, 2022
The new Korea : an inside look at South Korea's economic rise.
Myung Oak Kim, Sam Jaffe.

In 1953, South Korea was rated by the U.N. as the poorest country in the world. Five decades later, it is the fifteenth largest economy. Now, South Korea’s decisions on how to manage its society and its role as a modern democracy while also establishing its policy regarding reunification with North Korea will determine where the country will go in the next fifty years.
The New Korea examines the political, economic, industrial, and societal aspects of Korea today. Will it continue to enjoy an economic boom through new industries while competing against low-wage countries like China and India? Will it return to its role as a stomping ground for other powers? And what should Westerners pay attention to in terms of investment and business opportunities?

As South Korea enters the most critical phase of its journey, it is crucial that we understand the factors involving its decisions and evolution. The New Korea is a fascinating account of what is and may become the state of this important region.

From the shattered, war-torn nation of the mid-twentieth century to the global economic powerhouse it is today, South Korea is an exemplar of meticulously planned growth and sheer communal effort—a dynamic and mature nation that has forged its own path to prosperity.

But where will that path lead in the future? As The New Korea explains, Korea stands at a crossroads, with challenges ahead. It continues to live in a tense stalemate with the North. It faces daunting competition from the cheap labor pools of China and India. And Korea veers between a safe, zero-growth mentality adopted by Japan and applying its mental toughness and capacity for hard work to continue charging forward.

The New Korea helps readers understand the key political, cultural, and business developments that have defined Korea in the past half century. Packed with colorful profiles of prominent figures in Korea’s success story, along with keen historical and cultural insights that inform the Korean perspective (and obsessions),The New Korea gives you a broad understanding of this prosperous yet often perplexing nation, including:

• How South Koreans view North Korea not as an aberration, but as a continuation of the Hermit Kingdom that Admiral John Rodgers encountered 150 years ago

• How the 1997/1998 financial crisis led to a broad restructuring of the economy and impacts Korea’s response to the current economic downturn

• How Korea navigates its fiercely competitive relationship with China and Japan, fighting to avoid Japan’s stagnation and to compete with China’s exploding white-collar industries

• How Hyundai—once a laughingstock of the auto industry—managed to recreate itself and win a coveted 2009 “North American Car of the Year Award”

• How the global gadget headquarters switched from Tokyo to Seoul with the emergence of giants like Samsung and LG, along with government support of next-generation software protocols and wireless technologies

• How extremely long workdays (the highest in the world) and intensely rigorous educational standards (the highest in the world) have created a formidable workforce—and a stressful workplace

• How a weak environmental record, excessive centralized planning, closed social systems, and political unrest hamper future progress—and whether Korea can shed the final vestiges of its Hermit Kingdom mind-set and meet the challenges ahead

With the 15th largest economy in the world, Korea is a serious competitor and a fertile, yet complex, ground for pursuing investment and business opportunities.The New Korea opens a window on this dynamic nation, exploring the forces that drive it to succeed, as well as its strengths, weaknesses, perspectives, and potential.


As you know all too well, common differences among people—age, gender, race, ethnicity—can prevent even the most talented and dedicated employees from working together. Today, the success of nearly every business depends on overcoming generation gaps, gender biases, and multicultural misunderstandings. How can you effectively deal with these sensitive issues without reinforcing stereotypes and further alienating your diverse employees?

You’ll find the answer—in fact, an array of answers—in The Diversity Training Activity Book. This user-friendly guide presents a collection of 50 exercises, developed by two respected diversity trainers and tested on hundreds of workshop participants throughout the United States and Canada. From icebreakers, like “Name That Feeling,” to mini-case studies, role plays, and group games, these short and simple activities confront diversity challenges in a highly engaging, non-confrontational way. Participants will not only examine their assumptions and expectations about other cultures, but also become more aware of their own cultural values, beliefs, styles, habits, and attitudes. While learning with coworkers from wide-ranging backgrounds and perspectives, they’ll grow in empathy and master the critical skills to:

• Minimize miscommunication and misinterpretation.

• Understand differences in dress, demeanor, and social customs.

• Respect different senses of space and time-consciousness.

• Maximize the unique resources of female and older workers.

• Manage a culturally diverse and changing workforce.

• Identify intercultural incidents and resolve intercultural conflicts.

Every exercise comes with complete trainer instructions. You’ll also get materials you can easily modify for use as handouts or PowerPoint presentations. With The Diversity Training Activity Book, you can design a lunch-hour seminar or a weekend retreat that will make a positive difference in your diverse workplace. Before long, you’ll break down barriers and open minds to working together productively and harmoniously.





Myung Oak Kim was born in Seoul, South Korea. She worked as an investigative reporter for 15 years, most recently at the Rocky Mountain News in Colorado and the Philadelphia Daily News. She currently works as a communications manager for Colorado Governor Bill Ritter, Jr.

Sam Jaffe is a senior research analyst with IDC Energy Insights, specializing in renewable energy. He worked as a magazine journalist for more than 15 years, with work that has appeared inThe New Republic, BusinessWeek, and Scientific American. He is coauthor ofJewish Wisdom for Business Success.



This book contains:
Still living in the past : why history matters
North Korea : a distorted mirror
The IMF crisis and its impact on South Korea
The middle nation : how Korea navigates between Japan and China
So long Uncle Sam : the Korean-U.S. relationship
Korea in the driver's seat : a short history of the Korean car
Samsung eternal : from rice trading to $174 billion in sales
LG's rebirth : Lak Hui learns to create its own luck
Technology Nirvana : Korea's wired and wireless leadership
The Korean wave : ebbing or flowing?
The culture of business : what it's like to work and play in Korea
Teeing off : Korea's obsession with golf
From homogeneity to multiculturalism : the world comes to Korea
A changing society : shifting roles in modern Korea
Whither the north? : four scenarios for the future of North Korea
Toward Korea 3.0 : challenges and opportunities for the next forty years.
Profile Image for Phil Eaton.
125 reviews318 followers
September 5, 2018
Not a terrible book for a 12 year-old to read outside of school. But otherwise the worst kind of nonfiction, lacking citations and drawing overly simplistic conclusions from overly specific data. Sloppily edited, it read like a mash of related articles overlapping confusingly in time and subject.

Oddly enough these authors are the first I've read that are especially bullish in Korea long-term. Most of what I read on Korea is cautious pessimism concerning somewhat dated policies and an aging population forced to compete with the cheap and abundant labor from emerging Asian countries. The optimism exhibited here was refreshing or perhaps naive. Without citations or credibility, as anything other than journalists, it is difficult to tell.
Profile Image for Yeeewadup.
3 reviews
September 4, 2018
Interesting to compare the hopes and fears 10 years ago and what reality is like now in SK. The author doesn't seem to sugarcoat and keeps a differentiated view. I think it's a great introductory book.
Profile Image for Hidayatullah Ibrahim.
128 reviews2 followers
July 8, 2021
The book completely explain about Korean economy, the businessman style and many more thing how humans transition of some economic development still implemented suck of their traditional culture
84 reviews
July 22, 2022
Good reference book if you want to search a resource for South Korea economic development
Profile Image for Wildlifer .
73 reviews
January 17, 2022
1. Replace 'inside' with 'overview' as it is shallowly written book. And it has be read:— A NEW KOREA: AN OVERVIEW OF SOUTH KOREA ECONOMIC RISE.
2. For just a quick look of South Korea economic history this is the book but Wikipedia will save your time.
4. If you're looking for in-depth story of how SK made it, this book is total bullshit.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Rian.
155 reviews1 follower
July 13, 2019
Merupakan negara dalam keterpurukan setelah perang Korea. Korea Selatan bangkit dengan reformasi industrinya yang kemudian membawa Samsung, LG, Hyundai (beserta cheubol yang bertahan dari "krisis IMF" 1997) merajai pasar dunia dan membuat Korea dikenal dunia. Belum lagi ekspor budaya "hallyu" dengan drama, musik, film yang disaat bersamaan menggenjot pariwisata Korea Selatan.
Kedisiplinan yang tertanam dalam diri rakyat Korea mengakar pada ajaran konfusianisme, yang juga mengajarkan praktik hirarki yang umum ditemukan di Korea.
Kedisiplinan dan jam kerja tinggi merupakan harga yang harus dibayar untuk kemajuan Korea. Mencapai 2000 jam pertahun merupakan peringkat pertama di dunia.
Namun sampai sekarang Korea menghadapi ketegangan militer Korea yang tiba2 bisa saja mengancam.
Profile Image for Seraphine Nathania.
2 reviews5 followers
July 10, 2013
This book is a complete package of information about South Korea (and of course some disclosure about their nemesis, North Korea). You will find everything you need to know here. This book delivered in a modest way and has a good structure, start from the historical background of Korea till the future predictions about both Korea. This book is suitable for you who is intended to do business or just merely want to gain general knowledge about Korea, its society and its people, and everything.
Profile Image for Annisa Mutiara.
3 reviews
January 31, 2016
This book is great portrait for us on how south korea turn into powerful country just like today. It simply teaches us to work hard because it will pays off.
Not only explained about the country itself, but also tell you the big company history (example: samsung, hyundai, etc).
It opened my eyes too about the hallyu wave, i thought it is not that big. but my perception changed after i knew on how korea prepare themselves to conquer the world with hallyu wave.
Profile Image for Annisa Mutiara.
3 reviews
September 1, 2013
buku yang sangat bagus untuk dibaca dimana kita bisa melihat perkembangan korea dari negara yang lemah menjadi negara yang sangat kuat seperti sekarang. sejarah tentang perusahaan perusahaan besar korea juga jangan inspiratif..
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