Globalization Speech to Students of Berry and Covenant

Globalization: Are you ready (speech)

Greetings

President Colley, thank you for your kind introduction, it was a little exaggerated one but I like it.

Thank you very much!

President Nielson, President Colley, Director General Adamis, Dean Dhir, distinguished panel,

professors, guests and students,

Introduction

I am honored to being a part of your effort to assist our future leaders to be successful in their global

world competition.

I am in bldg maintenance business based in Atlanta with 2,200 plus workers. I am also involved in

international business, invest in real estate, once partnering with Morgan Stanley in Asia.

I develop shopping centers, residential subdivisions and invest in raw lands for future development.

Doing business internationally is an exciting but requires a different kind of mind sets.

I will do what I can to visualize the competitiveness and future strategy to take advantage to win in

the international economy.

English language

I guess I got picked because my unique backgrounds and my English accents which possibly will

make the globalization conference a realistic one.

I learned my English from the GIs who serve in Korea, some from New Jersey, some from Texas

and some from Georgia and Tennessee. Some educated and some were not formally educated.

My English teacher in my middle school was a Korean who learned English from a Japanese

teacher who learned his English from an Australian English teacher. So you will be taking the

conference in global English.

So, don’t blame me for my hard-to-understand English accents but blame those GIs and my English

teachers.

Talking about English, the language is one of many important factors doing business in

international market.

Thus, you are fortunate to have English as your native language because English is the international

language.

Well, except those French people, I heard.

Globalization Today

Truly, it is an exciting day for me to be here and speak to you, who will make the world different as

your time comes.

Globalization today is inevitable and effecting in pretty much in all areas. Foods, people,

environmentally, economically, politically, culturally, between the people of the world, you name it.

Nowadays we find more and more restaurants serves foods from all different continents.

They call it fusion foods, and I called it confusion foods.

I would like to ask a few questions.

How many of you eat sushi? How about sushi pizza? Well, pizza is an Italian food anyway.

How many of you tried Kimchi, a Korean pungent pickled cabbage?

How many of you used chop sticks to eat meals? Anyone watched the movie Karate Kids?

Do you remember the Master Unagi san catches mosquito with his chop sticks?

McDonald’s Hamburgers and Chick-Fil-A chicken sandwiches sold in restaurants everywhere,

Seoul, Moscow, Buenos Iris, Tokyo, Shanghai and many other countries.

I was in North Georgia mountain village a few years ago and found out those people eats rattle

snake, people in Kansas City pickled or fried those rattle snakes and eat them as appetizers.

I never could imagine any Georgian would ever eat raw fish for dinner instead of fried chicken and

sweet potatoes and green beans.

Globalization means in many ways is a trend and a way of life.

Conflicts in Iraq, a small country, size of California, three thousands miles away directly impact in

our life style.

The inferno in the oil wells in Iraq we saw in TV we are seeing directly effects to our pockets and in

our environment.

The flu or SARS symptom started in Kwang-jou, China, a city seven thousand miles away took

only 72 hours to make a trip to the West coast of United States.

American blue jeans became a uniform of young people of the global world.

We are witnessing the change of the world in a fast pace, pretty much in all areas.

The New York Times no longer covers only New York area news but the world news.

Consequently, you will end up meeting more new friends and business associates from other parts

of the world.

Yao! How many of you know who Yao Ming is?

Yao is a professional basket ball player for Houston Rockets and NBA Rookie of the Year of 2003

and just one of dozen foreign basket ball players in NBA.

Sammy Sosa of Chicago Cubs from Honduras, Chan-ho Park of Texas Rangers from South Korea

and many others plays in Major League baseball clubs.

You can easily see American sports players in Japan, Korea and other countries while many of golf

professionals play in PGA and LPGA in the United States.

CNN of Atlanta and other media delivers news from every corner of the world in every half an

hour.

We watched the detail scenes of the War from the Iraqi desert, live, even to the American living

rooms.

Fiber optic telecommunication technology carries information of the world to other side of the

globe faster than the speed of sounds.

We are living in time hear the news of Bangladesh flood before we hear the tornado touch down

news in South Georgia.

WTO

Are YOU ready?

Lets talk about the international trade and businesses.

Some of us heard the story of 88 day Around the World in early 60’s but today, the supersonic jets

can fly the around the world in just a half day.

The cargo plane left China with merchandise today will be landing Atlanta Airport tomorrow.

The merchandise will be on the store shelf of the Wal-Mart in Rome, GA by this weekend.

This means the Romans in Georgia can purchase the Chinese made goods in a very low price.

Our competitiveness is weaker than most of other countries, we have very tough competition in

manufacturing.

The average Chinese workers paid about $100 per month while their average living cost is about

$60 per month.

And, they work about twice longer hours than American workers because they work 12 hours per

day and work on Saturdays.

Our labor cost is about 13 times expensive than China today.

Many American manufacturers moved their assembly lines to out side United Stets to take

advantage of the low labor cost as American blue color worker’s average wage is about $1,600 per

month while the living cost is about $1,300 per month.

Scared? I was and I wish you are!

Globalization is here to stay and it is rapidly expanding.

Are YOU ready?

Are We Ready?

Sure we do!

Let us focus on economical side of the globalization, particularly how it effects to Georgians.

Georgia became very important center location of American global economy.

Georgia’s international business starts at the Hartsfield International Airport and Savannah Sea

Port.

Not like old days, air transportation system is essential way to meet the needs in the global economy

and Atlanta is located in the center of the Southeast.

Atlanta metropolitan area will continue to grow and the population of Georgia will reach well above

10 million people by 2025 per US Census Bureau, 2000.

Given situation and resources are important factors to take advantage. But we must have to have

people with international mind and skill to take advantage of the given situation is more important.

State of Georgia has excellent team with creative

I want to ask you a question:

Can anyone tell us who is leading the Georgia Dept of Industry, Trade and Tourism?

It is Mr. Glenn Cornell, Berry’s own alum and the Georgia’s pride and I am thrilled to see him to

lead the important mission.

I am confident that Mr. Cornell will improve the Georgia international business. I can tell he has

received Miss Martha Berry’s education with her vision. Miss Berry went to travel New York but

Glenn will be going to Europe, Asia and South American countries.

One of most important assets Georgia has is the people. Georgians are friendly, educated, highly

productive and kind people.

If we have time, I would like to share the resources of Georgia has and what Georgia offers to

potential investors in Georgia. I would like to take a moment to appreciate Mr. Tim Evans at GA

dept of Industry, Trade and Tourism for the data and information he sent.

(Power Point or explain Georgia data if Power Point is not available)

What can you do to be a part of the growth?

Now, are you ready to be a part of the growth of Georgia, the tenth largest state in US?

It is up to the individuals whether they will be a part of the growing world or isolate them selves

from it.

I know a quiet a few people left Atlanta and move to the North Georgia and Tennessee mountains to

get away from the new expansion of the city.

My good friend Steve, born in Atlanta, moved out to Lilburn, once a small town of Gwinett County

in the early 70’s.

Fifteen years later, Steve moved to Gainsville, Georgia to avoid the out grows and congested

schools with bunch of foreigners.

Steve and his wife Linda is building a house in Haiwassee, Georgia to move out from all.

How many of you think Steve can get away from the changing world?

First, I would like to tell you my story

Simply because I am a business man doing businesses with entrepreneurs

Chinese economy

Hong Kong stock market is up because the new Chinese leader announce

We now know we are sharing different weathers and resources with people in the other side of the

world, sand storm starting Mongolia Mojave desert carries the sand powders to the West Coast of

United States within a week’s time.

Stone mountain is the largest

I would think it is a timely subject as the international businesses are coming to Georgia.

They are coming from overseas and they are moving their U. S. headquarters to Georgia from other

cities in the United States.

I started my career and business with no money no resources. That was only twenty years ago and I

made my self very good. I am sixty years old this year.

I sometimes, look at my life as three segments. The first twenty years to learn, the second twenty

years to experience and the third twenty years to utilize the knowledge and experience I gained.

I gained a lot of knowledge and experiences, made a ton of mistakes, received a lot of Bs and Cs in

schools. I spend most of my time with Asian Americans and young Americans. I have over two

thousand employees and a good team to run my businesses. I still work long hours and busy

utilizing what I learned and gained. I also advise our President Bush on policies as his advisory

commissioner.

Some of Berry students study in Europe and some will study in Seoul Women’s University this

summer while Berry students will be studying together with Korean students this fall. The sand

storm from China and Mongolia reaches to the west coast of United States with in two weeks. This

is not a new but the new today is you know it as people in the old days never could figured out how

in the world the sands blown from the clean and blue water of Pacific.

Each of us will face the wave of globalization. Rome is an integral part of Georgia’s globalization.

We should expect and be ready for the trend and be ready to expand our efforts in businesses and

industry to other countries. It will be fun and challenging time and I am looking forward to it.

One question we want to ask our selves that are we reacting to the globalizing world fast enough?

Globalization to me is like enlarging area you belong.

Globalization, to me, is like expanding your self beyond your neighbors, community and the

country and producing more than friendship out of relationship with friends, associates and

neighbors.

I moved from South Korea in 1974, lived here in Georgia since 1978 after lived in Indianapolis a

few years.

I still remember the first flight to the United States, I was frightened and scare but mix with hope.

I opened a world map and started to examine where I was and where I was going to.

Before I left Korea, I most distance I traveled was to Pusan City, only about 300 miles to the south

from where I was living.

I was fortunate enough to watch some of those American movies, from John Wayne movies and

Gone with Winds to James Dean movies and Natalie Woods and Elvis Presley movies.

My dream for the world started from those dark movie theatres and libraries.

My heart was pounding as I glance through faded pictures of Chicago and New York skylines of

Life magazine.

The place I was living, Seoul City was too small and too many people competes each other.

One hot summer afternoon, I determined to make my life with the people of the world.

I was a fifteen years old boy, working average 10 hours per day everyday for a dry fish wholesaler

as a delivery man, twenty nine days per month, third Monday was only off day of each month.

I was attending night high school after work, study about 6 hours daily for six days per week.

I listed out all those obstacles for my dreams become a reality. It was a long list of things to do.

The top of the list was English problem. The next thing in the list was familiarize to the American

cultures. These must solved before I pursue my plan to go to the world.

There were many other obstacles to follow but nothing should prevent me to be successful and

realizing my dream to go to the world.

Thinking back of those days, I was fortunate to have the confidence. I still think the confidence is

most important ingredient for anyone to be successful.

I made an index card size reminder cards, wrote down a words of French General Napoleon “there

are no word “impossible” in my dictionary,” laminated with scotch tapes and posted front of my

desk, one inside my wallet and a few used as book marks.

I had no way to get around of the reminder cards.

Next thing I did, I obtained addresses for pen pals, five individuals from five different continents,

all female.

I started to write to those pen pals, one in India, one in Sweden, one in Nigeria, one in Argentina

and one in Youngstown, Ohio.

It usually took me a month to write one-page-letter. I had to get a proof reading from my English

teachers but usually take five to six trips to finalize an English letter.

Once I finish write just one letter and sent the same contents to all five different pen pals, yes, it was

a mass production.

I had to drop all pen pals within two years time but one because I realized one married and the

others was too ugly or too old for me than, as we exchanged the pictures.

We don’t have enough time to talk about the lady in Youngstown, Ohio, Peggy Ryan, but briefly,

we wrote each other for thirty five or some years.

We never met still but we shared our hearts and wisdom through poems and stories.

Once we fell in love each other. She subscribe me National Geographic magazines as she wants to

assist me to achieve my dreams to be achieved.

Peggy would make requests for songs for me to listen in a Korean radio station. Big band music to

unchained melody, we had a fun times. Oh, I am being so romantic, just to think of the past.

I am glad Kay, my wife is not here with us and listen to this confession. Kay went back to college to

obtain another degree and studying today. Thank goodness!

While I was studying English, I regularly stopped by a Western restaurant in Seoul, called Baekjo

Grill for lunch pretty much every off-days.

I had to familiarize to Western foods and wanted to learn Western table manners, I know how to use

chop sticks but I couldn’t figure out how to use folks and spoons in all different sizes properly.

I walk in to the restaurant each month and watch how others eat meals.

I could only order soup because that is all I could afford. It was a large sum of investment for me as

a student working and study at a night school but I had to learn the customs.

Don’t ask me if I liked the American foods than because I didn’t like it at all, it was too greasy and

buttery, but, I had to experience it.

Nothing could block me to do what I wanted to do.

When I arrived Georgia 1978, Georgia was about to starting to expose to the world.

The South decided to open up their protected hermit Dixie and embrace the world.

1980 World’s Fair of Knoxville attracted curious visitors and potential investors of the world to the

South.

I think Georgia received more economical benefits than Tennessee from the Fair, some thinks

because the airports and the accessibility but I think because the spirit of Georgians, true Southern

hospitality with warm hearts.

Former president Jimmy Carter played a major role to open up the South and Georgia.

Georgia, especially after the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympic Games, became a true international

state.

World class airports and world class corporations choose to do international business here in

Georgia.

The globe moves the same speed as it was in thousand years ago but the world is moving faster and

faster. Internet with fiber optics carries information and images faster than sound. It took 88 days to

around the world until early 40’s but today, the supersonic jet can take you around the world in less

than XX hours. Faster you move, the more you see, more you see, the more opportunity.

A man from Korea is here in town called Rome in America giving speech on globalization to

students of Berry and Covenant. Can anyone imagine that Miss Martha Berry would ever guess

that? I certainly think so as I read a letter of Miss Berry to a Berry student name George October 22,

1908, she emphasized him to giving the students a vision of the best and highest things in life. Miss

Berry envisioned the world in her hands and demanded her students to see what she was seeing. I

too, today, a man from a 7,000 miles away, born in the year she left this world would like to

emphasis you all push your selves to have vision of the best and highest things in life.

I moved to Atlanta, Georgia in March 1, 1998 and I lived here ever since. Georgia embraced my

mind and I fall in love with Georgia. It was the people of Georgia, not all of Georgians but just one

person from Georgia helped me to make up mind to settle in Georgia. I came to Rome three years

ago to visit Berry and the spirit of Martha Berry grabbed my heart at the moment I walked in to the

campus. Within a one year’s time, I brought Dr. Billy Kim, the chairman of the World Baptist

Convention, a Korean minister, good friend of Billy Graham, a graduate of Bob Jones. Within a six

months of time, Dr. Billy Kim introduced Berry to a number three women university in Korea and

Dr. Lee, the president of Seoul Women’s University visited the Berry and of course, she like the

Berry. This very summer, the Berry will send five students to Korea to spend time with students

from more than twenty six countries. These students will coma back to Rome in America and will

share their experiences with other students and friends and possibly these students will end working

together some Korean people or the friends from other countries met in Korea.

At the same time, the Korean students will be here and study at Berry and make friends in Rome

and Berry this fall. These college students may be come to Georgia if anyone likes the people

and/or nature of Georgia they will experience. Who knows, some of Berry and SWU students may

be find permanent companions and marry.

I was impressed as you are as read Miss Berry’s fundraising activities. Do you know how Miss

Berry interested Mr. Ford first time to Berry? She sold Georgia spring to invite Mr. Ford to Berry in

1916 based on the letter she wrote to Miss Tarbell, a New York journalist. She could have been

gone to Korea to sell Georgia’s spring if she lived today. It took 88 days to travel around the world

and took two hours of train ride to Rome from Atlanta those days, however, it only takes a less than

a day to travel around the world.

Russia, Brazil, Denmark, Spain, Slovak Republic, Japan and Korea was countries of foreign, well,

legally and politically still they are, but the reality is they all are a part of one neighboring

community.

because it will only take 14 hours to travel which is less amount of hours took to travel to Miami,

Florida by car in old days.

Businesses from all around the world made Georgia their base to making profits and build the

Georgia the center point of their expansion of their businesses to the world. Today in Georgia, we

have 1,076 internationally owned businesses and 583 international manufacturers from 52 countries

doing business in Georgia according to the Georgia Department of Industry, Trade and Tourism.

They joined Georgia businesses and making the Georgia a world class state while selling made in

Georgia to other countries. 59 countries opened their consulate or trade offices in Georgia.

company from Japan and manufacturing automobile parts and shipping to other states. Virtually

everyday, Mr. Glenn Cornell, a Berry alum and the leader in the Berry community and the man in

charge of the Dept of Industry and Trade and Tourism, and his team is selling Georgia spring and

fall but hiding muggy summer. Now, It is simple to understand globalization but the question still

lies; are you ready for the globalization?



Adjusting to the world is answer to the question. When I came to Georgia in 1997, I have been thru

many different experiences, some good but some are not so kind. As a foreigner in Georgia, where

many red necks live in the late 70’s when they call Northerners “Yankees, or damn Yankees” in

some cases depends on what color of the neck they have. It was not easy for me to travel in the

country side as some kids following me around and ask me if I go to bathroom too. One time, I

went to Covington, Georgia where once a real boony country to visit the film making location of the

TV series XXX, a group of kids in their age about 9 or 10 following me around for a long while and

I became uncomfortable, I wanted to do something about this naughty boys before I get real angry, I

stop and turn my face to them and showing serious expression and said, you have been following

me around last thirty minutes and you are to pay me a dime per minute to look at me. I said to a

bigger boy among them and said, you owed me 3 dollars, the boy got a little scared and told me “I

only followed you about fifteen minutes and I should only be charged $1.50.

Last three years, I was busy to go to Korea and Japan to work with my business partners in real

estate deals. The Asian economy was weaken in the late 90’s, and many Wall Street investment

bankers

Olympic 1996