The Excellent Human Resources of South Korean SocietyNormalMJ
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia,
normal@utm.my
Introduction
South Korean people carry out their job responsibility with their heart and compassion. Their professional job is their love and blood. The rating good is not good enough for the South Korean people. They work for the result of excellent from the view of their clients. Through studies and observation, I understood that their excellent of human resources came from their best practice cultural before 19th century combine with the strength after devastation of the war. Then later on plus with their an inspiration of the future.
Before 19th Century
The good spirit of Korean people has been mould a least since their first kingdom BC 2333. Their first Kingdom of Choson (The Land of Morning Calm) is base on the principle of Hongik Ingan, which means ‘to live and act for the benefit of mankind’. Reverence for the Heaven and respect for human life is deeply rooted in the spirited of the Korean people. Traditionally, elder family members looked after younger family members, and children learned to treat their elders with respect. They also learned to put the interest of others first and take care of their younger siblings. It’s foundation for willingness to sacrifice oneself for society and country [1][2].
Figure 1: Chart of Three Kingdoms Civilization is comparing to the time of others civilization.
( Source from National Museum of Korea )
The culture of Korea shaped a distinctive form of Buddhism. The Buddhism first arrived at Goguryeo Kingdom in 372 A.D [3] which is exercised to bring out the good within all of human being influence on Korea Culture throughout invaluable heritage abides in buildings, sculptures, painting and handicrafts, food and tradition culinary, and self-defense arts.
The development of Buddhism temples is not just represent the great architecture of the building but represent the greatness of spirit who build that temple. For example Seokguram temple implanted the whole principle of the Buddhism and the way life of the Buddha. Buddha should be in living life such as King Sejong the Great(The Everlasting Light of Korea), in living life of Korean people and not in the temple as a stone.
The origin of the great history Korean food fermentation such doenjang came from the spirit of Korean people at old time period to prepare the food which can calm people’s mind and help them feel gratitude to the heavens, so that they would commit fewer sins simply by eating it[4].
Figure 2: Bangjja Tableware. Source reshoot from [5].
The production process of Bangjja Bronzeware shows the secret of creating the durability and resistant spirit of Korean people. Bangjja is ancient form of Korea tableware. Bangjja has beneficial health effects, enhancing the taste of food and counteracting infections such as the lethal O-157 colon bacillus[5]. Korean people who receive, accept, go through and stand up for difficult of life up and down will rich with experiences, reduce the faultiness, have colourful life and more resistant toward corruption.
However, the greatness Buddhism principle of life become tinted by the monks who deeply involved in greedy political power and power abusive at the late of 13th century[3]. King Sejong the Great came later on in 14th century with principle Buddhism in his life. He has great support from the practical application philosophy of Confucianism (the Korean moral system, way of life, and law) by Korean community to replace the Monks who talk the principle of Buddhism but not practice.
After Devastation of the war (1945-1948) , The Korean War (1950-1953) and the Cold War.
The effect of war to Korean people started from Dynasty of China and later on from the Mongol forces invader in the 13th Century. The development spirit Korean people during that time develops through recourse to the divine power of Buddha’s law to defend their homeland. The Palman Deajanggyeong contains over eighty four thousand dharma teachings that help practicing Buddhists to control the eight-four thousand agonies [3].
After devastation of the war( 1945-1948, 1950-1953), the weak people was died left the Korean people with the strong spirit. The family who left behind after their descendant dead in war will have great loyalty and love for their country because of their supreme sacrifice descendant.
Devastation of the war from western country also left behind the effect of poor environment in Korean society. Christianity has developed a large as result from that. It was happened especially during colonial period (1910-1945). A large number of Korean children live under church’s protection and adopted by western people. They not just change their religious but also absorbing the good value of western people.
Korean People Nowadays.
The excellent of human resources South Korean people embedded in their genetics generation from 5000 years ago. They like “Raw Valuable Diamond” waiting for their own people to curve for the brilliant, higher standard and happy life. There is a hope in Korean people for the happiness came back same as the time of King Sejong greatest monarch.
The difference from old kingdom and now is that the fact of their decision and action. King Sejong do not dine on meat because of the karma in the Buddhism. However, Korean Government sent Korean Combat troop to Vietnam War in 1966 [7]. It was exchanged with the grant, loan and investment from United States. It is not just killing animal but killing human life.
Nowadays generally Korean society practice the way of Buddha and Confucius life unconsciously through the best practice of cultural in their daily life. These is obvious toward person who is believed in Christianity and don’t practice the religious.
The 4 South Korean’s Economic Development Plans between 1962 to 1980 generate the country an achievement around 10 % of growth rate annually. However the global economics crisis in 1997 made Korean Society one more time colonies by group of western people through Economics.
Korean Government received loan from IMF which is gave a big impact to Korean people life. Even though, the companies 100 percent share belong to Korean country per se. Eventually, the whole companies is belong to Colonial’s Economy (Loan Shark) until Korean society pay all the loan. Every time Korean society reach the point pay off all the dept, there will be always crisis economy events. This happen because the Loan Shark is controlling the world of economy.
The excellent human resources of Korean people has been utilizes by using their internal power until exhausted instead of regulate and accumulate for everlasting happiness of life. There are many people who less competitiveness killed themselves because of frustration and no threshold of the internal power. There are counted number of people who achieved everything in their dream for material and physical elements also killed themselves because of the feeling hollow inside. Is it this because of the bad Buddhism Karma? Don’t kill other if you do not want other people kill you. If you kill people for material and physical property, you also will kill yourselves for that same reason.
People are brilliant to create robot without realizing that they are themselves become Human Robot. They are become money working machine. Too much of involving creating the richness of physical material outside without balancing with richness of internal power will like using the sea water to release thirsty feeling. You keep drinking until you will destroy.
Professor Koh (2009) mentioned in our class discussing that a large percentage of Korean women nowadays reluctant to marry and have children. Their income are paying for themselves and enjoying life with leisure car, home theater, good wine and bar without responsibility for raising the children. Fifteen to twenty years in future there will be insufficient of excellent human resources in Korea if this trend continue [8]. The number of genetics generation excellent people will reduce as same as their internal power strength in the South of Korea.
Hope For the Future
The statue of a three generation in Korean family point out “ Go for Bright, Happily Future and Learn from the Bad Decision at Past Time”.
Figure 3: The statue of indomitable Koreans in front of Independent Hall, Korea.
Figure 4: Korean flag in front of Independent Hall, Korea.
The symbolic symbols of the Korean flag always remind the South of Korean people to live and have a balance life. It is showing how important to regulate 4 elements of heaven, earth, water and fire outside and insight of human being to make sure positive power always overpowering negative power. Internal power needs always to be balance with physical power.
References
[1] Fifty Wonders of Korea(2008), Volume 2. Science and Technology, page 10.
[2] Yong Hwa(2007) Chung.Hyo.Ye, Korean Spirit and Culture, Series 111.
ISBN 977961397.page7.
[3] Korean Cultural Insights (2008)Published by Korea Tourism Organization, page 79,98,100
& page 108.
[4] Fifty Wonders of Korea(2008), Volume 2. Science and Technology, page 123
[5] Fifty Wonders of Korea(2008), Volume 2. Science and Technology, page 128 & page130.
[6] Yong Hwa(2007)King, Sejong the Great:The Everlasting Light of Korea, ISBN 0977961362.
[7] Park, Tea Gyun(2009) Secret of Korean’s Development- Economics Growth and
Democratization-, talked during 2009 C.P.I Orientation.
[8] Koh.Chan(2009) Game Programming Class 30th June 2009, Seoul National University of
Technology, http://computer.snut.ac.kr/~chankoh. Chankoh@snut.ac.kr
