South Korean Values

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South Korean Values William Quarles Belhaven South Korean Values Family values are held in high regard in the United States and the values in different countries seem very odd to our culture here. My country is South Korea. In South Korea, the family values are the most important part of a Korean life. In the Confucian tradition, the father is the head of the family and it is his responsibility to provide food, clothing and shelter, and to approve the marriages of family members. The oldest son has special duties that are ranked in the family. The first duty is to his parents, then his brothers from older to younger, then to his sons, then to his wife, and lastly to his daughters. When it comes to the family welfare, it is more important than the needs of the individual. The members of the family are tied together because the actions of one family member reflect on the rest of the family. In most cases the family can trace its family history back, through male ancestors, for over 500 years. Harmony in personal relationships is a dominant force in a Korean’s life. How one is looked upon by others is more important than logic and conclusion. Friendships are held very tight and extremely valuable. If a friend request something from you and you refuse, then it is considered an insult. If someone that is superior to you, ask you to do something and you fail, then it is almost unforgiveable. These friendships are possible because each one does their best to maintain and preserve harmony and good feelings. If someone has bad news to give to one of their friends, then the person will smile to soften the blow of the news. They may even try to avoid giving the news, even if they are just the messenger and is in no way responsible for the news. For a Korean to admit failure is very hard and it is even more devastating to lose face. The Koreans do

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