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From: jfe@alchemy.TN.Cornell.EDU (Brian Chung)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.korean,soc.culture.japan,rec.autos
Subject: Re: Market Access
Date: 22 Apr 1993 05:44:56 GMT
Organization: The Loyal Taxpayers
Lines: 41
Distribution: world
Message-ID: <1r5bco$t2p@fitz.TC.Cornell.EDU>
References: <1993Apr22.044605.29922@leland.Stanford.EDU> <1r5acf$nh1@agate.berkeley.edu>
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In article <1r5acf$nh1@agate.berkeley.edu> robohen@ocf.berkeley.edu (Henry Robertson) writes:
>Now, now, before we get too carried away here....
>
>Keep in mind that owning any car in Korea is a luxury that only the ruling
>class can afford.  Every government agency worth its salt finds some reason
>to levy a tax on car ownership; last I heard, there were seven different
>fees to pay to own a car.  I believe this is the sort of petty bureaucratic
>inefficiency that new President Kim Young Sam wants to eradicate.  Basically,
>I think the rules came into place as bureaucrats from plebian backgrounds
>wanted to wreak revenge on the ruling class.  In exchange, zaibatsu's like
>Hyundai screwed over smaller companies, perpetuating a vicious cycle.
>I have faith that Korean people can potentially build cars as well as anyone
>else, but for now Hyundai cars seem to reflect the tensions within society,
>of screwy components that won't work together.  Stubborn like a mule, the
>car either won't go forward or won't stop at all.
>
	Hahahahahaha.  *gasp*  *pant*  Hm, I'm not sure whether the above
was just a silly remark or a serious remark.  But in case there are
some misconceptions, I think Henry Robertson hasn't updated his data
file on Korea since...mid 1970s.  Owning a car in Korea is no longer
a luxury.  Most middle class people in Korea can afford a car and do
have at least one car.  The problem in Korea, especially in Seoul, is
that there are just so many privately-owned cars, as well as taxis and
buses, the rush-hour has become a 24 hour phenomenon and that there is
no place to park.  Last time I heard, back in January, the Kim Administration
wanted to legislate a law requireing a potential car owner to provide
his or her own parking area, just like they do in Japan.

	Also, Henry would be glad to know that Hyundai isn't the only
car manufacturer in Korea.  Daewoo has always manufactured cars and
I believe Kia is back in business as well.  Imported cars, such as
Mercury Sable are becoming quite popular as well, though they are still
quite expensive.

	Finally, please ignore Henry's posting about Korean politics
and bureaucracy.  He's quite uninformed.
-- 
T. H. Brian Chung          | Happiness is...        | This .sig was brought
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