The difference between Japan and South Korea in terms of the friendship that Oh Sun - hwa talks about.If you're a friend, give it to me.This is the Korean style.

Photo by Mr Yukio (licensed under CC0 1.0)

In Korea, sharing is the mark of a friend

Wu Shanhua, a professor at Takushoku University's School of International Studies, said that when she first came to Japan to study, she struggled because she couldn't understand Japanese culture. She says that in South Korea, the culture is that you shouldn't differentiate between your friend's things and your own things.

During class, I open my friend's pencil case, use it, and then put it back. They end up using not only stationery, but also things in their bags, sweets, food, and even money if they are left on the table. It seems that the person being used is happy and thinks that the person who is being used thinks of them as a friend.

Of course, Japan does not have such a culture. No matter how much time passes, my friend asked Wu Shanhua at the time, ``I forgot her pen, can you lend it to me?'' When I get it back, I always say thank you. No matter how much time passes, Wu Shanhua will not accept her as a friend. Apparently, there was a time when she worried that they wouldn't accept her because she was a foreigner.

Another Korean who came to Japan and returned to Korea after two and a half years after having such an experience apparently published a book about Japanese culture in Korea. His anti-Japanese book, which describes Japan as a country of crazy people, has sold ３ million copies and has become a model that is often cited by Japanese culture researchers at universities and other institutions. That's it.

What is your friend's property is yours. This is regardless of the size of the amount. They say that even if it's a large amount of money, you can only be a friend if you pay to help. As a result, the custom of filing lawsuits has become commonplace in recent years, making South Korea a fraud country. Furthermore, it is unclear how far the money was taken from him as a friend, and where the fraud began. In other words, it is not returned while being shared. This has become the norm, but in light of the law, it appears to have resulted in a series of fraudulent acts.

With this in mind, Wu Shanhua says she is also knowledgeable about diplomatic issues. Koreans think that since Japan is an economically developed country, it is natural to provide money for free. I don't use the word "thank you" at this time, and since Japan has many islands, I wonder if it's a friend to make a fuss about just one island. Wouldn't it be possible to have a friendly relationship if Japan gave as much as Shikoku to South Korea? In fact, she explains, there is at least an underlying feeling.