INTRODUCTION

        The word Globalization has been becoming familiar with modern people. We can watch people who live overseas through a computer screen, and we can know what is happening around the Earth every morning. Its already easy to contact friends, family and companies who are in other countries by phone, by mail, etc.
        We often say the world is one. Korea has also been preparing for globalization with a few famous events. The most famous event is the 2002 World Cup soccer tournament. The World Cup is a good opportunity to inform other countries about Korea and to earn lots of money. As you know the World Cup is a festival that brings the world together. A lot of foreigners will be coming to visit Korea to join in the World Cup. As you can see, we have a great chance! However do we have a good ability to act as a host country? There are a few things we have to do. For one thing, we have to listen to foreigners complaints about Korea. Most of us already know about the problems, but Koreans might have ignored their opinions.
        The authors think two of the problems, which are most important for foreigners, are the transportation system and the public toilet culture in Korea. We surveyed foreigners complaints about these problems on November 21 at the Namdaemoon Market for two hours. We asked about taxi drivers kindness, convenience of using buses and subways, cleanliness in public toilets, etc. to eight foreigners--two businessmen from Germany, two military men, two American women, an older German woman and a young European woman.
 

RESULTS OF THE SURVEY

        They said taxi services merit is that they are fast. Even when drivers don't know the way, they try to find out for their passengers. On the other hand, sometimes drivers are unsafe, and some are like a thief, because they've asked foreigners to pay double charge. For the more, Koreas cabs don't give receipts. They think it's a really strange thing. Some foreigners visit Korea for business, so they need receipts to show their boss. In addition, a German businessmen said most of the wealthy countries have a good receipt policy which is a common phenomenon, and he hopes to get a receipt from a taxi when he comes to Korea again.
        The people we talked to didn't say anything about buses. Most of them don't use buses, so if they want to ride a bus they don't know the correct number, and the bus web is really complicated to them. One glad thing is foreigners think the subway is the most convenient transportation. The reason they feel comfortable using the subway are the signs are in English so it is efficient, and people are kind and helpful when they ask for some help. A European woman, who has stayed in Korea for more than six months, also said she usually rides a subway every day, because Korea's subway is quick, cheaper than her country's subways fee, and she feels so much safer than using other transportation in Korea.
        The last question was about public toilets. They looked like they wanted to say a lot about toilets. All of them complained toilets are not clean, they are always crowded, and they usually have no paper in them except for really big buildings and airports. They also have a bad smell. One older German woman said public toilets need cleaned more often. They also complained about Oriental style toilets which are difficult to use. They prefer to use sitting toilets.
 

CONCLUSION

        We can know foreigners' complaints about Korea to us through the results of our survey. They said most transportation is well organized and well made. But we have to think about a few things together. First, why don't we make a receipt policy which is rational for both passengers and the traffic office? Second, taxi drivers shouldn't ask double charges to foreigners. When they come to Korea, they probably will meet taxi drivers first. So taxi drivers have to present a reliable face of Korea. Third, we should make a simple information bus web sheet in English. We should correct English signs, wrong spelling and directions, and we should make it available where they can read it and find it easily. Finally, we also have thought about toilets. We should always provide toilet paper, and we should clean the floor of the toilets and throw away rubbish in the bin in order to get rid of the bad smell, not only for foreigners but for ourselves. The Korea government have to make more public toilets. Normally, we stand in a queue to use toilets at least three minutes. It's not a short time, and besides, foreigners might never want to use a toilet crowded with people. However, we don't need to change Oriental style toilets to Western style, because it's our own culture from ancient times.
        The most important thing is our cognition. If somebody visits our home we will clean the house and want to give good feelings to visitors about our own house. Of course, these ideas and actions must be applied to our country. Korea is like a big house. Now we have to make a better country as our house. We must have pride and not forget a smile is the best kindness. All of these are a big assignment which has been given to all Koreans as Koreans.
 

REFERENCES

Foreigners complaints [Editorial]. (1999, October 23). The Korea Herald. World Wide Web: http://www.Koreaherald.co.kr/

Difficult working conditions prevent uprooting of taxi fare abuses. (1998, June 25). The Korea Herald. World Wide Web: http//www.koreaherald.co.kr/