Curious Case of South Korea: Conclusion

Samsung Innovation Center

South Koreans have every reason to lament their past. As do Scots, Irish, Vietnamese, Burmese, Indians, Poles, South Africans, and on and on.

Most of the people in the world can claim to be victims of one kind or another. While it gives politicians peripheral issues to exploit, anger about yesterday doesn’t put food on the table today. Addressing one group’s grievance only leads others to gripe about theirs not being addressed.

Modern South Korea is a miracle. Innovative and well run, it’s one of the countries that could have a key place shaping a better global future. But for that to happen, it will have to work with countries with which it has an unhappy history.

Sometimes the purpose of leadership is to embody the national spirit. Think Winston Churchill.

But the most important leadership is getting your people across a difficult mental divide. Think Nelson Mandela or Mahatma Gandhi.

In South Korea’s case, if my grandmother was used as a prostitute by the Japanese, I’d be angry about it. No question. But I should be more concerned my granddaughter is never made a prostitute by the Chinese.

That’s potentially where South Korea’s future lies, unless it can let go of its anger about the past.