South Korea and South Africa may share a common title, but the two countries are entirely different. South Africa has had a long history of racial discrimination and inequality. This differs wholly from South Korea which is one of the most ethnically homogeneous groups in Asia. It will be interesting playing in a country with such a unique, and horrific, history.
Discrimination in South Africa crested in the late 20th century. The cornerstone of South Africa policy was a set of legal systems known as apartheid. The system physically separates races into designated areas. Although the law was repealed in the 1990s, its impact is still felt today. In the turn of the 20th century, colonial rule in British owned South Africa was being handed to the local black population. The Afrikaners, the descendants from white colonists from Holland, gained power in 1948 and instituted apartheid laws to perpetuate white dominance in the country.
In the 1970s and 1980s, countries began to be more critical about racial discrimination. As a result, relations with foreign countries began to deteriorate. International companies like Ford and General Motors began to close down factories operating in South Africa, and athletes refused to play, a reminder of the difference now. While countries turned away, South Korea extended a warm hand to South Africa, taking advantage of the situation to benefit both countries. Trade links between the two countries have grown over the years, and tourism to South Africa from South Korea has reached new highs. South Korean companies like LG, Hyundai, and Samsung have pledged full support in the upcoming FIFA 2010 world cup.
Lee Dong-Gook
Monday, June 7, 2010
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