On March 19, the POSCO TJ Park Foundation held the POSCO Asia Fellowship homecoming seminar at the POSCO Center in Seoul. More than 50 master’s and doctoral degree recipients, as well as new students receiving scholarships from the foundation, attended the event, sharing information about life in Korea and reinforcing their networks.

Speaking at the homecoming seminar were seven graduates who earned their degrees through the support of the POSCO TJ Park Foundation and who have continued working in Korea instead of going back home. They talked about their diverse experiences, such as school life, paths to employment, and Korean corporate culture. The new scholarship recipients enthusiastically asked questions and shared their own information.

On March 19, POSCO TJ Park Foundation scholarship recipients and graduates attended the POSCO Asia Fellowship homecoming seminar at POSCO Center in Seoul. Over 50 students on scholarships and graduates from 12 countries, including China, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, and India, attended the seminar.

“I was happy to introduce my school life and career in Korea to the new students,” said Ms. Nguyen, a Sogang University graduate who is now in charge of Vietnam-related global affairs at Samsung Life Insurance. “Thanks to the support of the POSCO TJ Park Foundation, I am learning about Korean companies’ keys to success and I look forward to becoming a financial expert on Vietnam.”

POSCO Asia Fellowships nurture talent, turning them into next-generation global leaders

POSCO TJ Park Foundation operates the POSCO Asia Fellowship program to promote the exchange of talent among Asian countries and nurture global leaders. Since 2005, the foundation has run a scholarship program that invites promising talent from around Asia to Korea and supports them so they can earn master’s and doctoral degrees. Students chosen for the scholarship receive full support for their tuition fees and living expenses from the POSCO TJ Park Foundation for their studies in Korea.

Since 2005, the POSCO TJ Park Foundation has spent more than 10 billion won (about $8.6 million) on its scholarship program, helping more than 300 outstanding students from 28 countries around Asia.

The POSCO TJ Park Foundation will continue to support talented people around Asia, to help them grow into the next-generation global leaders, and to provide them with many occasions like the homecoming seminar to gather together, network and learn from each other.

Be sure you never miss any of the exciting steel stories from The Steel Wire by subscribing to our blog.

 Pictured here: Sergio and his co-workers doing community service with the Korea Steel Association

About Sergio’s Path to Korea

Colombia is actually home for Sergio. So how did he end up joining a Korean steelmaker company? Growing up Sergio was full of curiosity about other countries. He decided he wanted to learn Chinese and at the time the Beijing Olympics was taking place so travelling to China was the perfect choice to not only learn Chinese culture and language but also to experience the Olympics. While studying in Beijing, Sergio made good Korean friends that naturally led him to visit Korea.

 Pictured here: Sergio during his stay in Beijing

Raising Awareness about Korea and POSCO

Sergio came to Korea in 2011 and participated in POSCO’s global internship program. Prior to joining POSCO, Sergio says that he honestly did not know much about Korean companies. Now, not only can he speak confidently about POSCO and other Korean companies, he also can speak four languages! He is truly a globally talented person who can speak English, Spanish, Chinese and Korea. Going forward, it is his dream to use his multicultural background to help POSCO penetrate into Central and South America. POSCO sees Brazil as a key investment market so Sergio hopes developing business in Brazil will be a successful starting point for further business development in Central and South America.

Pictured here: Sergio hanging out with colleagues

Some Words of Advice on Working Overseas

Living and working in a foreign county is not always easy. In Sergio’s first few months living in Korea he had some amusing episodes because of his level of Korean. In one instance, instead of telling his boss ‘I will bring the newspaper’ he accidently spoke in a commanding tone saying ‘Bring the newspaper’.

Pictured here: Night out with fellow co-workers

Overcoming cultural differences and adjusting to work life was possible with the help of colleagues. In terms of work, Sergio spends most of his time using English and Spanish which are his first languages. However, Sergio was not afraid to go outside his comfort zone and he made the effort to socialize with coworkers outside the office. He is currently a part of the POSCO Steeler team which is POSCO’s corporate soccer team and it has helped him communicate in Korean with colleagues more easily.

Here’s some more advice for being recruited as top global talent for POSCO.

Pictured here: Sergio and his POSCO Steelers teammates

Ms. Võ Thị Hồng Vân is one of the female managers at POSCO Vietnam. She is active and devoted to her work without losing her bright face. Currently, every CSR activities conducted by POSCO Vietnam are managed by her. She restlessly visits many regions where POSCO Vietnam can give a helping hand. Once she finds out where to, and what to, do for socially neglected people, she discusses the matter with local authorities and undertakes surveys to actualize feasible CSR plans for volunteering activities.

How It All Began…

When we asked how she first started working at POSCO Vietnam, Ms. Võ Thị Hồng Vân said it was almost like a destined path. “Working for POSCO Vietnam began as a coincidence and now it has become my destiny. In the beginning of 2008, I was working in Korea and I heard that POSCO Vietnam was recruiting secretaries. I was quite busy then so I couldn’t think of anything else than my tasks.” A year later, she finally joined POSCO Vietnam and started working as General Director’s secretary. “Over the two years I worked at the position, I had opportunities to develop my relationships with decision makers and top-level officers at Ba Ria-Vung Tau province, where POSCO Vietnam is located.”

It was later that she transferred from General Director’s office to Logistics Department as an assistant of General Manager. “I always love to have new experiences and this is why I was transferred. In my opinion, changing work position is a way to have new opportunities and challenges to learn new things and to study new knowledge.”

She added, “I loved the work at Marketing Logistics Department because I learned about trading and business, which I could also leverage with my experience from Korea. It helped my ability to coop with the works I was assigned to.” After a brief period, Ms. Võ Thị Hồng Vân was named as CSR Team Manager and moved to where she belongs now, POSCO Vietnam’s External Relations Department.

Becoming POSCO Vietnam’s CSR Team Manager

‘Hello, POSCO’ asked how working for the company’s CSR activities differs from her past work experiences. She smiled and said, “Regarding CSR activities, it was a big work and a new area to our company. CSR activity is not simply a concept but also needs to be carried out to give positive impacts on our surroundings, customers, partners, employees and communities. Therefore, this work needs specialized knowledge of all fields.”

We asked more questions about the quality one needs to become a professional CSR manager. Ms. Võ Thị Hồng Vân replied, “If you have a narrow set of experiences and knowledge for CSR, this work can be a challenging one. To fulfill all the roles required in this department, you need to study more about CSR, and master the principles and strategies of POSCO. This can help us to brainstorm how to engage the current social demands we face. If you succeed in meeting the demands, the result will naturally lead into building up a good image of POSCO Vietnam amid local communities.”

Awareness and Social Responsibility POSCO Vietnam Holds For Local Community

POSCO Vietnam is keeping its pace up to meet more economically and socially challenged people in local communities. “The principle of POSCO Vietnam is ‘Always Cooperate and Grow with Local Community – Business Go with CSR Activity.’ For the past few years, POSCO Vietnam has actively been implementing a wide range of social activities. This includes granting scholarships to the poor students who cannot afford their school fees and building houses with love for the households who have no shelters.”

“We also collected garbage at the beach to protect the environment and gave supports for the senior citizens, physically challenged people and children without parents. These CSR activities are all undertaken to contribute for the awareness and responsibility POSCO Vietnam conveys in the local community. The ‘POSCO Dream Village’ project is a great illustration of the purpose as well.”

Something To Be Proud Of And Worthwhile

Now, it was time to listen to her story: what she feels when working as POSCO Vietnam’s CSR Manager. “I have participated in almost all CSR activities at POSCO Vietnam since I joined. Each campaign has its own beautiful meaning, portrayed in different places and different moments. One of the beauties I witnessed was when the board members and POSCO Vietnam’s employees joined hands to collect garbage for drainage of Tan Hoa Commune.”

“It was a really hot summer day, burning everything underneath the Sun. Not to mention the awful smell we had to endure! However, the volunteers from POSCO Vietnam did not turn around. We continued our work there without losing smiles on our faces. The feeling I received at Tan Hoa Commune touched me and it is an unforgettable experience. “

Throughout the interview, we could see Ms.Võ Thị Hồng Vân’s face with full of joy and the sense of accomplishments. She truly believed that what she was doing for the local communities will open up bright future for those who received supports from POSCO Vietnam. We must say, she is not the only one counting for the change, because we all know POSCO’s global CSR activities will deliver a wonderful path for everyone around the world.

“Bonjour les amis! My name is Vivier. Oui, I’m French, but I was born in New Caledonia. I’ve come to Korea to experience work at a global leading industry, SNNC, and to venture into the dazzling Korean culture first hand.”

Vivier is a vibrant twenty-five year old, who has completed an internship of three months at SNNC. She has bachelor’s degree in Korean and English. Before coming to Korea as an intern, she’s already been to Korea in 2010, to improve her Korea at the Hongik University.

“I encountered Tae-Kwon-Do for the first time when I was eighteen years old. I remember asking countless questions like ‘how do you say Side-kick, Turning-kick, Front-kick, Axe-kick etc. in Korean?’ and so on until finally the master yelled, ‘If you’re that curious, go learn Korean yourself!’ …C’est une excellente ideé, Master.”

Just like that, Vivier has decided to switch her studies from Economics to Korean. Now, let’s hear more about Vivier’s somewhat hectic and jocular, yet no doubt meaningful and valuable time she’d spent at SNNC.

[box]

“Global leader of Fe-Ni Smelting Technology”

SNNC is a joint venture between POSCO and SMSP, New Caledonia’s largest nickel exporter, manufacturing and selling Fe-Ni which is the main material of stainless steel and other byproducts. SNNC is the first to domestically manufacture and supply Fe-Ni to POSCO, securing a stable supply of materials while contributing to securing the country’s six major strategic minerals. SNNC is a leading global industry who places high value on environment by using the newest and the most effective clean technology.[/box]

How it all began

Vivier first heard about the collaborative Nickel project between POSCO and SMSP in 2007 through New Caledonian broadcast. Hearing this news, the first to come to her mind was, “That’s where I belong.” Vivier admitted that she’d shown a little, just a slightest hint that she really wanted to work for Gwangyang SNNC during her internship at SMSP. Much to her surprise and overwhelming joy, soon later she got a call…oui, from Gwangyang SNNC, to come to Korea for an internship opportunity.

Some tips to adapting 100% at your Korean Internship

Beware of the Korean “Question” Attack

“Every Monday, my coworkers ask me what I’ve done over the weekend. In France, unless any particular occasion was mentioned, we normally don’t ask such questions. It’s often thought of as very personal matter aside from work.”

As Vivier mentioned, don’t be fooled by the Hollywood stereotype of the quiet, somewhat stoic and even mysterious Asian community. You’ll be surprised at how curious and talkative Korean people are when it comes to a newcomer in the community. Actually, be prepared to be bombarded with loads of questions, from age to your love life, family, weekend schedule, taste in wine, your area of studies, to all kinds of personal questions….and of course, the follow-up question “why” to all your answers.

Lost in the Pool of Formal and Informal Korean

“I had very good reasons to be confident about my Korean. I have a bachelor’s degree in Korean and studied at Hongik University in Seoul as an exchange student for a year. Well, little did I know, that office vocabulary was a whole new chapter to learn, along with distinguishing between formal and informal language use.”

There are many obstacles to fully comprehending Korean that you can’t learn just from textbooks and language classes. First and foremost, Koreans generally speak very fast. Second, in office, there are multiple job titles that almost always must be followed when addressing any coworker. To name a few, are daeri, sajag, busajang, chajang, sawon, and so on. But most importantly, you have to be careful with how you form your sentences. In Korea, there are two ways to speak—formal and informal—and foreigners often make mistakes in distinguishing which to use at the appropriate situations or people.

However, no worries. Vivier has indeed made such mistakes. Still, other coworkers have happily helped or taught Vivier the correct expressions afterwards.

Enjoy the Cozy Family Culture at Work

“Are you all friends?”

That’s the question Vivier asked her coworkers when she saw them enjoying get-togethers after work, having meetings, going to cheer for the same soccer teams, hiking, crying, laughing…activities that are definitely not related to work.

You may be surprised at how much involved coworkers are to each other’s lives. Though they spend all day together at the office, aside from work, they often do many activities together. Vivier mentioned that working in Korea has not only given her a valuable work experience, but a sense of ‘togetherness’ with the fellow coworkers. She also added by saying that they weren’t just coworkers, but felt more like a family. There is a strong communal bond in Korean office life.

The Amazing Taste of Korea from Vivier

Sundae 순대

“It’s Korean sausage made of beef or pork, dang-myun(a type of Korean noodle), and chopped vegetables stuffed in pig’s intestine. It almost looks like salami sausage, Honey!”

That’s how I explained Sundae to my boyfriend back home, which probably don’t sound all that appetizing by the description. Nonetheless, Sundae was indeed my favorite Korean dish while my stay in Korea. Its squishy, wiggly, and soft texture in dipped salted shrimp is a wonder that you must try.

Samgyetang 삼계탕

Korea marks the days that starts and ends Summer, the former called “Chobok,” and the latter, “Malbok.” During this summer season, Koreans have special dishes, the most famous being Samgyetang. It’s actually just a soup with ginseng and various ingredients stuffed inside the chicken. What’s special though, is that Koreans thought it was a good idea to “win” summer/or Heat, by eating a boiling hot soup during the hottest days of the year.

“Yes, I feel totally cooled down!” is a phrase you’ll hear often from Koreans after finishing the soup, while soaked in sweat.