Two Decades Into Recruiting Korean Mega Projects, Georgia Still Working to Crack the Cultural Code

Nearly 20 years after the first Korean mega projects landed in Georgia, both sides still have cross-cultural lessons to learn to smooth the way for future investments, experts said at a first-of-its-kind forum at Columbus State University May 20. 

Problems will arise with any major international project, but better advance training — ideally before a project takes root — can keep small misunderstandings from morphing into bigger roadblocks, said Hyundai Motor Group Vice President Steven Jahng. 

“Korean companies try to take what they do in Korea and do it here, and that causes a lot of problems,” said Mr. Jahng, whose responsibilities include government and military affairs.

He urged Korean firms to realize that the hurry-up pali pali culture common among Korean conglomerates doesn’t always translate well into the American system: “When in Rome, do what the Romans do.” 

He advises Korean companies that building real relationships by embracing the rhythms of American life, like high school football on Fridays and college football on Saturdays in the South, is important. 

“This is your insurance policy, because nothing is going to be smooth,” Mr. Jahng said at the inaugural Korea-Georgia Dialogue hosted by the Korean Institute at Columbus State, or KICS.

Over the last two decades, many Korean investors in Alabama and Georgia have faced significant scrutiny over workforce safety infractions and alleged attempts to bend immigration rules. Such errors can prove costly, both in construction delays and goodwill. The fateful September ICE raid on the LG Energy Solution facility on Hyundai’s site was reportedly called in by an aspiring local politician, but it spiraled into an international incident. 

In an interview with Global Atlanta after visiting Korea in October, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp stressed that the most experienced foreign investors, including from Korea, ensure near-constant dialogue with their local stakeholders when bringing in a new project.

Still, even the most banal issues can create headaches, Mr. Jahng said. While awaiting the completion of a new overpass, Hyundai fielded constant complaints about truck traffic along Interstate 16 as it built out its massive Meta Plant in Ellabell, Ga., outside of Savannah. 

It can be hard for communities to appreciate the long-term benefits of economic development projects when they’re in the thick of the growing pains, he said. 

“Sometimes it goes to deaf ears when you keep talking about job creation, how much money you can make, all that. It’s great, but don’t ever forget that your life is about to be turned upside down for about two years,” said Mr. Jahng, who also previously worked on one of Georgia’s other mega Korean projects: SK Battery’s $2.6 billion plant in Commerce. 

Missy Kendrick, CEO of Choose Columbus, said communities should also do their part, bringing in human resources professionals not only to help Korean executives familiarize themselves with U.S. hiring practices, but also to help local workers understand differences in Korean management styles. 

“What’s going to be key is that we have some of that leadership training in place with the community before we start attracting some of the Korean companies, because we want to have a solution to a challenge before the challenge arises,” Ms. Kendrick said. 

Columbus, which landed a $220 million project from rare-earth magnet producer JS Link, is trying to get ahead of the game as it courts further Korean investment. 

The city has named a Korean liaison, local accountant Jong Yoon, to help families integrate into the city, which boasts the second largest concentration of Koreans in the state outside of metro Atlanta. Mr. Yoon has helped the development authority curate a Korean-language website, housed at ChooseColumbus.org, to showcase schools, churches and, of course, Korean restaurants and grocery stores. (Mr. Jahng joked that a viable economic development strategy for attracting companies is opening a Super H Mart.)  

Columbus State University, with its 11 Korean faculty members, set up its Korean Institute in part to provide some depth and commitment around the city’s push. 

Daewoo Lee, its director, said in a separate panel discussion that while Kpop and entertainment are driving interest in Korean language, a closer look reveals that educators struggle to get American students to pursue it past the introductory course. 

“That kind of thing hit me hard,” Dr. Lee said. “We have this widespread  interest among young generations about Korean language and culture and everything, but how do we move on to the next level?” 

The so-called hallyu, or Korean wave, may not last forever, so institutions should seize the moment to promote in-depth Korean studies across a variety of domains, from international relations to anthropology. 

“Maybe this sounds too melodramatic, but everything has an end, so the wave will also have an end,” Dr. LEe said. “What’s going to be left over after those waves subside?”

Mr. Jahng, who has experienced life in Asia as an expat, understands how small acts of kindness and consideration matter greatly for newly arrived Koreans adapting American rules and customs, like stopping for school buses or even using self-service gas pumps. 

“I think the cultural aspect is one of the key hurdles for Korean companies locating to not just the U.S., but anywhere in the world.”

He stressed that Koreans and Georgians share many qualities that can be obscured by linguistic and cultural barriers. 

“Once you break that little wall, everybody’s family. Therefore, you’ve got to help them break that wall.” 

Georgia should have a head start on that front; the state opened its office in Seoul 41 years ago and landed its first major Korean investment, SKC, in Covington in 1996, said Misty Martin, deputy commissioner for global commerce at the Georgia Department of Economic Development. In 2006, with Kia Motors and its bevy of suppliers set to arrive in West Point soon, the state appointed a Korean liaison within the department.

Having worked on the SKC project earlier in her career,  admired how the company opened its doors to the community. 

“SKC was truly part of the fabric of the community,” she said. “That’s when you see companies and communities really be successful in their partnerships, — when it’s all woven into the fabric.” 

The discussion on economic partnership at the all-day forum complemented other panels covering the U.S.-Korea security alliance, Korea’s cultural soft power and its diplomatic objectives.

Moderated by Southeast U.S. Korea Chamber of Commerce President Jean Kim, the panel also touched on how Georgia can capitalize on its growing educational and technical ecosystems to build strong workforce pipelines. 

• Learn more about the Korea-Georgia Dialogue here.
• Read more below about Columbus’s effort to build out Korean cultural infrastructure in Global Atlanta’s latest Weekly Briefing (sign up here):

Weekly Briefing: Building Cultural Infrastructure