Informational handbook

Final Reports

All grantees must complete a final report. Student grantees must complete an online report for IIE before their departure from Korea, but not earlier than one month before their grant end date. KAEC is authorized to withhold the return ticket of student grantees who do not complete their final report on time. Research and Lecturing grantees must complete two reports, one online report for CIES and one paper report for KAEC.

Instructions on how to complete all required reports will be sent by email to each grantee about one month before their grant end date.

Early Termination & Departure

For All Grantees: Grantees who have accomplished their objectives earlier than expected, or who must depart early because of serious and compelling personal reasons should submit a written request for early termination to KAEC. In some cases, grantees who terminate their award before their scheduled end date may be responsible for repaying to KAEC a portion of the award benefits they received. The amount to be repaid will be decided by the KAEC Board, with the general understanding that the amount to be repaid will be in proportion to the number of months in the award period that the grantee will not complete as a result of their early termination. At the discretion of the Board, terminating grantees may be required to reimburse KAEC for the cost of their return travel to the U.S.
Award benefits will be paid only up to the day of a grantee's departure from Korea. In case of early termination, grantees will be required to immediately repay any advances in allowances or benefits disbursed for use in the period of time after the termination.
Special Note for Student Grantees: Student grantees who wish to terminate before completing the 6^th month of the award period will be responsible for reimbursing one half of all award payments previously made by KAEC, and will be responsible for reimbursing KAEC for the return portion of their roundtrip airfare.
Special Note for Lecturing Grantees: Lecturers and lecturer/researchers may not depart early (before the end of their teaching commitment) except under compelling personal circumstances. In those rare instances, KAEC expects the maximum advance request for early termination.

Return Shipping

The excess baggage allowance may be used to defray the cost of shipping materials back to the United States, as long as you can present a receipt for the expenses. Receipts may be mailed to KAEC from the U.S., addressed to the attention of Mrs. Park.

VI. KOREAN MANNERS AND ETIQUETTE

Background

An unusual degree of homogeneity has developed among the Korean people during their long history. This is a country with no ethnic minorities, known as the only country in Asia without a Chinatown. In the modern era, in particular, this cultural heritage has been complemented by a strong sense of national identity. Despite the political division of the Korean peninsula since 1945, Koreans still rightly consider themselves one nation.

Traditionally, abiding by the rules of propriety was considered extremely important, and that aspect of Korea has changed less than one would expect from the modern appearance of Seoul. For instance, Korea is said to still be a “high-context society.” A great deal of attention is paid to the way someone acts and dresses, to who goes first and to where people sit – and HOW they sit. Facial expressions, tone of voice, body language and such characteristics count for a great deal more than most Americans could imagine.
While traditional practices of propriety will be seen in most Korean homes and even in public places in rural areas, they are not as visibly evident in the everyday urban life of contemporary Korea. Koreans make a great difference between how they treat people they know, people with whom they have an important relationship, and people they do not know, the general public. (See “Informal Essays” in the appendices.) Thus much of the behavior you will witness in public places in Korea, especially in Seoul, may strike you as rude and ill-mannered. It may not be much of a consolation, but many Koreans feel the same way. The anonymity of urban life, the hectic pace and the at times mind-boggling congestion all seem to have combined to make life a "rat race" in which the prize goes to the most agile.
As a visitor to Korea, however, you should try to observe as much propriety as you can muster, especially in your relations with your coworkers. Your respect for traditional values will be appreciated even by those who are not observing them themselves.
Some of the Koreans you may have met in the U.S. remain very closely tied to Korea. Anything you can learn from them is likely to be very helpful for your preparation. They'll help you to "hit the ground running" so to speak. On the other hand, some Koreans in the U.S. may be more out of touch with contemporary circumstances in Korea than you (or they) can imagine. Some may even have unduly negative images and memories hailing from the era when they decided to immigrate to the U.S.

Relationships

The concept of "relationship" and the proper nurturing of relationships are indisputably at the core of heavily Confucian traditional Korean thought and remain influential in determining social behavior in Korea today. This emphasis on relationships translates into placing a degree of attention on social interaction, which may be unfamiliar or even uncomfortable to you. As Peter Underwood wrote for an AmCham business article, “Although relationships are important everywhere, the difference is that in Korea, inter-personal relationships define virtually every aspect of behavior and take precedence over all other criteria. Relationships determine those with whom one does business. Suppliers are selected on the basis of personal relationships on the (probably valid) assumption that the relationship will insure better price, service and support.” Furthermore, in Korea, individual personalities tend to be submerged in the social position. The "role" is primary, the individual peculiarities of the bearer of that role are secondary: One is not Jane Smith, the professor; but the professor, Jane Smith.

One corollary of this orientation is that the distinction between "in" and "out" becomes critical (see “Informal Essays.”) Generally speaking, this distinction will work for and against you. If you have a former student, a colleague you know well or an established mentor at your host institution, you're likely to be readily accepted and aided at every turn. If not, it may take quite a bit of time and effort to get accepted.
Fulbright grantees usually report that their relationships with colleagues only begin to take off in the second semester, and those who must leave after only one semester cite this as one of their major regrets. While making a special effort to establish relationships can help, basically you simply have to accept the different rhythm of Korean relationships and bide your time. Relationships are harder to establish and take a LOT of maintenance, but generally are more durable and unconditional in nature.