Nice post by GI Korea/ROK Drop on Obama’s suggestion that developing African nations use the Korea model to achieve economic success.  GI cites several examples of why the Korea model is unlikely to be replicated in Africa, and I agree the most significant is this:

Here is the most important factor, the work ethic of Koreans.  Koreans worked as hard as anybody in history to build the nation they now have.  Are African countries willing to sacrifice and work the long hours that Koreans did to build their country?

I have mentioned before just how impressed I have been by this aspect of Korean culture/society.  I see it in my own employees and I have observed this among the general population as well.  Koreans are driven to succeed and they pursue thier goals with a singlemindedness that is quite fascinating.  In fact, I sometimes wonder if they overdo it at times.  Korea does have one of the highest suicide rates in the world.

You can’t help but admire what the Korean people have achieved though.  I attended a ceremony recently where General Sharp, the USFK Commander, spoke of the Korean War.  He said some call it a stalemate, a war without victory.  But he said such views are wrong.  He noted that a simple comparison of life in the north with that of the south makes clear who the real victor was. 

You really can’t argue with that.