[LETTERS to the editor]There’s more to Korea than its economy

Ever since South Korea joined the global market, this small country in East Asia has been getting a lot of attention as its economy flourished. Even though many foreigners can readily name the traditional Japanese clothing, kimono, they do not know the name of the Korean traditional dress, hanbok. The first things that come to their minds when they think about Korea are the names of famous South Korean conglomerates. Simply put, many foreigners think only of Korea’s economy, not its culture.
Korea needs to promote and share its culture. In order for Korean culture to survive, Koreans have to erase the prejudice they have in their minds. Most Koreans tend to place Western culture ahead of Korean culture and seem to regard their culture as a dull history in a textbook. However, culture is not history. It is a human achievement that has to grow.
There are many ways to promote culture, but what Koreans need to do first is change their point of view. With a little change in thinking, the culture of Korea will be able to reach out to the world.

by Kim Da-young