South KoreađŁ
Country in Southeast Asia. Official name â the Republic of Korea. Population â 51.3 million people (as of 2020). Capital â Seoul. Official language â Korean. Government type â presidential republic. Main religions â Christianity and Buddhism.
South Korea
Greeting
The customary form of greeting in South Korea is a light, gentle handshake, usually accompanied by a slight bow and minimal eye contact. As a sign of respect, a Korean person may support their right hand by holding the wrist with their left hand during the handshake.
If you are meeting a group of Korean partners, begin your greeting with the eldest or highest-ranking person. The most senior individual present should initiate the handshake.
Besides handshakes, the bow is another traditional form of greeting. This traditional gesture is still practiced in South Korea, although less commonly among younger people.
A bow in Korean culture is not only a form of greeting but often carries additional meaning, depending on its depth and duration. The entire upper body is involved in the bow, bending from the waist, with the head lowered and the eyes cast downward.
In business settings, particularly when greeting and introducing others, the bow should be at a 30â° angle. The deepest and most respectful bow (at a 45â° angle) is used to express stronger emotions, such as apology or gratitude.
A bow between individuals of equal status should be equal in depth and duration.
Foreigners are not required to bow when greeting partners in South Korea; a handshake is sufficient. Korean businesspeople may even combine a bow with a handshake when greeting foreigners.
Introduction
Exchange of Business Cards
A business card should include standard information such as your full name, job title, company name, and all necessary contact details.
It is very important to indicate your job title or position within the company, especially if you are not the head of the organization, but, for example, a department manager. For the Korean side, this will be a key factor in determin...
Small Talk: Overview
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Preferred Topics
Safe topics for small talk include questions related to business or profession.
Major events and trends in global politics and economics.
Mutual acquaintances (if any).
Various aspects of Korean culture and history are also well-received for discussion.
Famous places and landmarks in South Korea, as well as positive impressions of what has been seen in th...
Taboo Topics
Home and family are considered private topics, at least in the early stages of a business relationship. As the relationship develops, your South Korean partner may begin to share some personal details.
Marital status, especially divorce, can be considered taboo topics.
Refrain from making commentsâespecially critical onesâabout the government, its actions, or the country's p...
Personal Space
The comfortable distance for communication in South Korea is smaller than in other Asian countries, such as Japan. If possible, try not to step back in an attempt to increase this distanceâit may be perceived as rude or unfriendly behavior.
Open displays of emotion during conversationâwhether verbal (exclamations, outbursts) or non-verbal (hugs or pat...
Communication Specifics
The main focus of South Korean culture is on building long-term relationships and interdependence among members of the family, clan, group, or community. People live together for a long time and interact constantly, so a certain amount of information is considered to be commonly known, almost invisibly present, and doesnât need to be repeated unnecessarily.
Koreans be...
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