Working in Korea
South Korea is a modern, industrialized nation and an advanced economy with a GDP per capita of over US$13,500; its economy grew an estimated 8.5% in 2000. Korea is blessed with an extremely well educated and talented workforce, a growing segment of which is skilled.
Employment
After the 1997 Asian financial crisis, Korea experienced massive layoffs. It has recovered since then, though, and the unemployment rate recently fell below 4 percent for the first time since December 1997.
Some of the professionals in high demand in Korea right now include stock-market analysts, recovery specialists, insurance specialists, computer graphics specialists, Microsoft-certified engineers, Sun-certified JAVA developers, systems and database administrators, urban engineers, CAD and CAM specialists, copyright specialists, database specialists, foreign market researchers, project managers, and outsourcing specialists.
The following is an overview of the jobs in demand in sectors that are experiencing a high rate of growth
IT Sector
The information technology sector in South Korea has strong ties with e-business and digital communication, two areas that were hit hard by both the Asian financial crisis and the tech stock market crash of 2000. Even so, many experts expect most IT-related spending to be in e-business, and the IT industry should show a steady growth rate for the next ten years. The best IT opportunities in Korea are for web designers and programmers, network system specialists and analysts, and database administrators. For Web designers, 3-D skills are important: there's currently a shortage of skilled 3-D designers in Korea.
Engineering
Two of the three top industries of Korea's future, according to experts, biotechnology and nanotechnology (the third is information technology) require engineers to succeed.
Experienced workers are in especially high demand because many companies have been forced to eliminate their training programs. There are no official licensing qualifications for foreign engineers wishing to work in South Korea; the potential employer is solely responsible for assessing the qualifications of each candidate.
Financial Sectors
Foreign exchange dealers, stockbrokers, fund managers, insurance brokers, securities analysts, and insurance specialists can find employment in the financial sectors
Others
Many Korean businesses that require professional management and consulting work are primarily concerned with customer data analysis. Since CRM (customer relationship management) is becoming a major factor in maximizing revenue for many companies, and many companies suffer because of insufficient customer data and a lack of expertise in these fields, strong demand exists for specialists in customer data collection and analysis.
In the marketing function, direct marketing system designers and IR specialists are in an urgent demand. For international business, foreign market researchers, international project managers, and international outsourcing specialists are needed.
Work Permits & Visa Requirements
The application process for Korean business and employment visas is fairly straightforward, but the rules surrounding it are strict.
- For stays up to 30 days, visas are not required. For longer stays, foreigners must obtain visas beforehand from the Korean diplomatic mission in their home country.
- Only companies that employ international workers can issue work permits, and expatriates intending to work in the ROK must arrive with permit in hand.
- Documentation required for a visa application can vary from company to company.
- Anyone who begins work without the appropriate permit is subject to arrest, possible confinement, costly fines, and deportation.
Business Etiquettes
- Business dress in Korea is conservative. Men usually wear dark suits, light-colored shirts and subdued ties. Women dress modestly and usually wear suits and bright colors and sleeveless blouses are not acceptable.
- South Korean business hierarchies are vertical. An employee is expected to be loyal to his superior and company in all matters.
- Decisions are made from the top down and are universally upheld by employees. This paternalistic style of management stems from a tradition of family-run businesses.
- Koreans are quite modest, and while they know that foreigners may behave differently from them, they still expect them to be polite and humble and show interest and respect for Korean traditions
- When meeting for the first time, it is customary to nod, bow, or shake hands. When shaking hands, you may grasp your colleague's right arm with your left hand as a sign of respect. Typically, the junior person will initiate the bow; the senior person will initiate the handshake.
For the meeting, be on time. Allow for traffic jams or bad weather.
- Do not simply leave your business card on the table; present it directly, with both hands, to the recipient.
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