Globalization In South Korea

As the world has become more interconnected and globalized through technology, cities like Seoul and San Francisco have taken advantage by making it a cornerstone of their economy. San Francisco, whose main economic function is service based, includes tourism, financial services, and technology. The cities frequent appearance in popular culture and instantly recognizable landmarks like the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz has made the city an extremely popular tourist destination. In 2014, San Francisco added $10.67 billion to its economy from the visit of more than 18 million and ranks fifth in the United States in attraction of foreign tourists. However, since the 1990’s, San Francisco has begun to shift its service toward technology with

Since the nation has almost no natural resources, their strategy was to create an export-oriented economy which as of 2014 was the 7th largest exporter in the world. Although it still focuses on beverage and food production, including Soju, the highest sold alcoholic beverage in the world, the manufacturing industry has been infiltrated by electronics, assembly lines, and technology. The major technological manufacturers located in Seoul include LG, Samsung, Kia, Hyundai, and SK Group. Many believe that the South Korea’s rapid economic development, especially in regard to technology, is due to the country’s strict education system leading to an educated and driven

70 years later, South Korea transformed from an agricultural based economy to an industrial power specializing in export. This was accomplished in part to the creation of Chaebols in the 1960’s, which are large corporations that serve as international and domestic producers and due to the migration of people from the countryside into the city. This created a large workforce, especially in Seoul, where between 1960 and 1990, they gained 300,000 residents per year. Along with the outbreak of South Korea’s economy, the exposure from hosting the 1988 Olympics in Seoul helped bring foreign interest into the nation and start the process of globalization. This had led to a new wave of workers from China, the Philippines, Indonesia, North America, and Europe to Seoul who have brought their own culture to a city that was almost unchanged since 1988. This has only increased today with the blossoming of Korean popular culture abroad through K-Pop and E-Sports and will likely continue in the future as Pyeongchang is set to host the 2018 Winter