Thoughts on Korean Business by Don Southerton

By Don Southerton, Hancom Global Corporate Communications and PR  In a move set to advance operations and support the company’s aggressive growth,   Hancom Group , South Korea’s leading ICT company has announced the North American release of flagship product ‘Hancom Office 2020.’   Previously, Hancom has been most well-known internationally for the default mobile office suite experience in Samsung Galaxy/DeX devices and a long-time technology partnership with AWS WorkDocs supplying a cloud-based collaborative document editor. More cost-effectively than with any other office suite available today, and a smart alternative to Microsoft 365, new enhancements for the Hancom Office 2020 product lineup include word processor Hancom Office Word, spreadsheet Cell, presentation Show, and PDF. Most importantly, as a part of ongoing efforts for enterprise customers, this update facilitates interoperability by improving the spreadsheet’s Excel compatibility significantl...

  I am excited to share my most recent article that looks at market entry for brands and products.  As always your comments and thoughts are welcome.   New Normal Best Practices for Post COVID-19 Market Entry      In this post COVID-19 world, we hear the expression the New Normal used frequently with regard to society and business. A timely question then is how will this New Normal apply to commerce and specifically international market entry? In a Deep Data webinar jointly hosted by the Israel Economic Trade Mission to Korea in Seoul and Cardumen Capital based in Tel Aviv, I spoke to a wide audience of Korean companies on how I saw market entry under post COVID-19. For one, and as in the past, ‘need and demand’ have always been the drivers for a successful business market entry. Goods or services must match what is lacking in a market and enterprisingly fulfill a need or gap in that local market.  For examp...

My most recent article in Branding in Asia. https://www.brandinginasia.com/smart-work-and-covid-19-transforming-the-workplace-in-south-korea South Korea: Smart Work and COVID-19 Transforming the Workplace  By Don Southerton With the COVID-19 New Normal from video chat platforms to office productivity and cloud-based software, the shift to working remotely is now seen as a convenient alternative to in-person communication, the office and commerce.  In this article, we will look at how Koreans post-COVID-19 may come to accept remote working (also referred to in Korea as “smart work”), as an option to the traditional on-site model. In February and March government agencies and companies across South Korea opted to keep workers home in what can be seen as a mass experiment with the remote work system—the intent to flatten the spread of COVID-19. As the threat passed, and methods to control the spread of the virus proved effective, companies soon called for their ho...

I'll be a guest speaker sharing my thoughts on what Israel and South Korea have to share as both are strong centers for innovative technology. For all those in the tech sector, this webinar will prove insightful.  The webinar is hosted by Yaniv Goldberg Economic Attaché—Head of Israel Economic and Trade Office, Embassy of Israel in Korea, and Israeli Cardumen Capital. The webinar will explore among other topics of interest Israel's 'Deep-Tech'. Speakers include  Gonzalo Martinez de Azagra, CEO and Founder of Cardumen Capital and Ruby Chen, Venture Partner of Cardumen Capital. The event will be held at 3 PM on Wednesday, May 13, Korea time (time subject to change).  To participate in the Zoom Webinar, you must register. Interested?    Email Me  Questions? Comments? Don

    This is the third in my series for  Branding in Asia  on  South Korea—A Roadmap to COVID-19 Economic Recovery.  In Part 3, we look at Everyday Distancing, Restaurants, Cafes, and Bars.     South Korea – A Roadmap to COVID-19 Economic Recovery: Part 3 Everyday Distancing  Don Southerton   -  May 4, 2020   I n this third segment COVID-19 recovery series, we again look at how South Korea as a first-mover is tackling one sector highly impacted worldwide—the Food and Beverage industry. As noted, Korea appears to have reined in the outbreak without some of the strict lockdown strategies deployed elsewhere in the world.  Everyday Distancing   Amid concerns for the second wave of infection, South Korea has set recommendations for ways the country can practice “everyday distancing” that would introduce more sustainable lifestyle changes rather than temporary campaigns....