[Korea’s Great Transformation, Korea-Japan Future Cooperation] "Korea and Japan Are Brush and Sword... Cooperation Needed to Bridge Social and Cultural Gap"

Interview with Former Ambassador to Japan Shin Gaksu
Direct Communication vs. Dual Nature: Historical and Cultural Differences
These Differences Are Reflected in Corporate Culture, Leading to a "Gap" in Business Practices
Mutual Wisdom Needed to Complement Differences
Japan Is Much More Collectivist Than Korea
High Barriers to Entry, but a Stable Market Once Entered
CPTPP Accession Is Crucial If Tariff War Continues
Securing the Market... A Means to Strengthen Trust with Japan
Korea-Japan FTA Could Become a Driving Force for Real Cooperation

"Brush and sword."

Former Ambassador to Japan Shin Gaksu, currently the Vice Chairman of the NEAR Foundation, recently met with our newspaper and described the cultural differences between Korea and Japan using these two words. He is known as a "Japan expert," having worked in Japan for seven years, including serving as Ambassador to Japan from 2011 to 2013.

The brush represents Korean culture, where communication is direct. In contrast, Japan is a culture of the sword, where conversations have a dual nature. Depending on how one holds the sword, the attitude in conversation also changes. Shin explained, "Korea and Japan have distinctly different communication and behavioral styles," adding that these differences stem from history and culture.

Former Ambassador to Japan Shin Gaksu is being interviewed at Cafe Nutti in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 16th. Photo by Kang Jinhyung

These differences have persisted and become embedded in the corporate cultures of both countries. As a result, business insiders explain that there is a "gap" in the way companies in the two countries handle their work. Now is the time to bridge this gap and broaden the scope of communication. Shin stated, "For cooperation, the two countries need to avoid clashing over their differences and instead complement each other through mutual wisdom." He also noted, "We should pay attention to whether the Korea-Japan relationship, which has been on a recovery track since 2023, can return to the level of 2012, which was the best year in the 60-year history of bilateral relations."

Japan's "shimanikonjo" (island nation mentality) is a challenge we must overcome with patience. This refers to a self-centered and less inclusive mindset, but one that is also highly cohesive, independent, and exclusive. Island nations such as Japan, the United Kingdom, and Taiwan are often seen as having these traits. This is also why Japanese consumers have shown conservative and closed attitudes toward Korean companies' products. Shin said, "Japan is much more collectivist than Korea, making it difficult for foreign companies to break into the Japanese market." However, he added, "Because the barriers to entry are high, once a company succeeds in entering, there is no market as stable. There are quite a few Korean businesspeople who have persistently knocked on Japan's door for nearly 10 years and have now succeeded in establishing themselves in the market."

Former Ambassador to Japan Shin Gaksu is being interviewed at Cafe Nutti in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 16th. Photo by Kang Jinhyung

If the social and cultural gap can be narrowed and the two countries can work in harmony, a bright future awaits Korea and Japan. Amid calls from the business community to resume negotiations for a Korea-Japan Free Trade Agreement (FTA), the two countries have agreed in the near term to pursue Korea's accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), and in the longer term, they even dream of forming an economic community similar to the European Union (EU). Shin stated, "Assuming the current tariff war continues, Korea's accession to the CPTPP is extremely important. The CPTPP accounts for 15% of the global trade market, which is comparable to the United States." He added, "It is a measure to secure our market and can also serve as a means to strengthen trust with Japan." Regarding the Korea-Japan FTA, he emphasized, "It is meaningful as a way to build trust assets and can become a driving force for actual cooperation." However, in terms of forming an economic community, he predicted, "It would be more effective to pursue economies of scale by expanding to include not only Korea and Japan but also other countries in the Indo-Pacific region, such as Southeast Asia and India, forming a group of about seven to eight countries."