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Examples
of
Distortions
China:
¡°Generally,
the
family
elder
has
his
own
table
at
mealtimes.
It
is
taboo
for
father-in-law
and
daughter-in-law
or
a
brother-in-law
and
sister-in-law
to
eat
together
at
the
same
table.¡±
(Guidelines
on
Trade
and
Investment
in
Korea,
Jilin
University
Publishers,
1993.)
Germany:
¡°These
are
nothing
to
do
women.
Korean
women
have
had
a
very
inferior
social
status
because
the
moral
law
influenced
by
Confucianism
emphasized
the
authority
of
patriarchs
only.
This
tendency
has
rarely
been
changed
in
modern
Korean
society,
which
is
represented
by
the
lack
of
women
in
leadership
position
in
both
the
economy
and
politics.¡±
(Secondary
School
Geography
of
Japan,
China,
and
Korea,
Der
Asiatich
Pazifische
Raum,
Oldenbourg,
1990.)
Comment
It
is
no
longer
true
that
a
Korean
father-in-law
cannot
sit
at
the
same
table
with
his
daughter-in-law
or
brother-in-law
with
his
sister-in-law.
In
fact,
in
modern
households,
families
usually
sit
together
at
the
dinner
table.
Such
habits
have
almost
completely
disappeared
and
survive
only
in
a
very
few
traditional
households
and
as
a
quaint
custom.
Some
foreign
textbooks
and
other
writings
say
that
in
Korea
there
is
severe
gender
discrimination.
This
is
an
exaggeration,
although
it
cannot
be
entirely
denied
that
Confucian
traditions
still
remain.
Korean
women
maintain
their
maiden
names
even
after
marriage.
This
is
a
good
example
of
gender
equality,
which
is
difficult
to
find
in
other
countries.
In
addition,
today,
there
are
many
women
leaders
in
all
areas
of
society,
including
politics
and
economy.
In
education,
women
play
an
important
role,
especially
in
the
area
of
elementary
education.
Other
foreign
sources
appear
to
misunderstand
the
Korean
character.
It
is
stated
that
the
first
impression
a
Korean
gives
is
somewhat
tense
and
unkind.
Koreans
prove,
however,
to
be
very
friendly
and
caring
once
they
have
known
someone
for
a
while.
Traditionally,
outbursts
of
emotion
were
frowned
upon,
and
this
may
explain
the
tendency
of
Koreans
not
to
use
emotional
facial
expressions.
Koreans,
however,
are
becoming
more
outgoing
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