South Korea: Insider business tips

By Chuck Durnberger

While the primary knowledge of South Korea for many Americans may be from watching the team of doctors on M*A*S*H, the medical drama/black television comedy about a team of doctors and support staff stationed at the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital in Uijeongbu, Korea, during the Korean War, South Korea's emergence since the conclusion of the Korean War has been remarkable.

Over the past four decades, South Korea has separated itself from its neighbor to the north, developing a very strong economy and becoming a world leader in various industries, including the semiconductor, electronics, and automotive industries. In many ways a far more westernized country than many of its Asian counterparts, there are many recommendations for conducting business successfully in South Korea, some of which are detailed in useful hints and tips outlined below.

Moving around in South Korea
Incheon International Airport opened in the early 2000's. It is billed as the world's 10th busiest airport. Despite this, it is extremely accommodating to foreign travelers, with virtually all vendors fluent in English and with easy access to transportation and other services within seconds of exiting customs.

Located approximately 40 miles northwest of Seoul, there are two primary transportation options: taxis and ‘limousine buses'. Taxis will be the most direct route to Seoul, but expect to pay a hefty rate of US$100 or more. If time is less of an issue and expense is a consideration, the limousine buses are very convenient. Running between 6AM and 9PM, there are approximately 15 well-marked ‘bus' routes, each departing (from the airport) approximately every 15 minutes to major Seoul hotels.

For about US$15, business travelers can board the bus and expect to reach their hotel in 60 to 75 minutes, depending on traffic. Travel times can be much longer to hotels on the east side of Seoul between the hours of 6:00PM and 9:00PM due to heavier traffic.

Business communication
Korea uses different telephony standards compared to the U.S., but there are options. Several Korean phone companies (LG Telecom, SK Telecom, KTF) make it easy to rent cell phones at the airport for very reasonable rates (US$2 to US$4 per day); you can choose to use their long-distance service (<US$0.50 per minute) or, by checking with various providers, you can probably find one that, due to sharing agreements with U.S. phone carriers, allows you to transfer your SIM card to their phone and receive calls using your existing phone number and standard services. However, be aware you will likely pay a stiff price for the convenience of keeping your U.S. phone number; international roaming rates in excess of US$2.25/minute will apply and be charged by your U.S. carrier.

English proficiency across South Korea is generally proportional to the size of the company you're dealing with. Most of management in larger Korean companies speak English but expect some difficulty communicating in English with smaller and/or more traditional companies.

If conducting sensitive or more complex business discussions with non-English speakers, it is advisable to hire an independent translator (or ask your counterpart company to do so) to avoid any concern about bias. Many people do not exhibit proper protocol when communicating through a translator. When employing a speaking interpreter, international etiquette when doing so maintains that translators are merely a conduit to convey communication between parties. It is important to keep your eyes focused on your business counterpart while the translator is speaking. This shows respect and courtesy toward your business colleague.

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