Reflecting back on my experience during my time in South Korea on the Plus3 program, I am very grateful to the experiences, education, and relationships gained along the way. From touring some of Seoul’s most cutting-edge companies to living in Korean culture and collaborating with other students from diverse fields of academic study, this trip has left me with memories that will last me a lifetime and a wider view of the world. It also increased my understanding of five essential areas of professional development which are extremely relevant to a business career: ethical dilemmas in business, the importance of educational breadth, life-long learning, the social climate of working life, and working on multi-disciplinary teams.
The overlap of artificial intelligence and smart systems in South Korean industries revealed a widespread ethical dilemma that is presently confronting business managers around the world: employment vs. efficiency. During our company visits at Hyundai, Fredit, and Seoul Waterworks, I was shown first-hand how advanced automation has arrived in maximizing profitability and precision. For example, HY’s automated plant for making probiotic drinks showed how technology can reduce mistakes, speed up production, and cut costs. Hyundai has also automated up to 89% of its car manufacturing. At Seoul Waterworks, smart monitoring systems made it possible to reduce a team from 10 people to just 3.
These advancements, as much as they are outstanding, raise the ultimate question of ethics—what happens to the out-of-work employees? In the business world, we are made to believe that maximum profitability and maximum efficiency are valuable goals. But I realized that such goals would sometimes conflict with social responsibility. Unemployment caused by automation would lead to additional economic issues such as reduced consumer purchases. This experience served as a reminder that as a future business leader, I will need not only to think in terms of numbers and growth but also the consequences for the people.
Perhaps the most enriching aspect of the Plus3 Korea program was exposure to a new and totally different professional and cultural context. Our field trips to landmarks such as Gyeongbokgung Palace, Seoul City Hall, the Blue House, and the DMZ provided me with a much greater insight into Korea’s rich cultural heritage and how its values influence the nature and attitude of its people. I understood from our tour guide Jinny’s insights and my own experience the strong sense of shared identity in Korean society and the Koreans’ strong embedded work ethic.
This cultural immersion taught me how highly coveted educational breadth is in business. A grasp of global vision is absolutely essential for anyone going into a business profession, especially in our interlinked world. Understanding how Korean firms operate—how they emphasize hierarchy, collaboration, and national pride—provided me with a broader picture of global business dynamics. Whether I am employed with a multinational or seeking international partnerships in the future years, I would be aware of how to interact with cross-cultural dynamics with empathy, sensitivity, and respect.
Change is the only constant in the fast-paced business world, and flexibility is paramount. This experience reinforced learning a lifetime to stay current and thrive in business. It was evident during visits to Yonsei University and interactions with graduate students and professors that continued education and research were critical to progress—not only in science and engineering but also in business.
All the companies that we visited, such as TK Elevator and Seoul Waterworks, emphasized ongoing upskilling and market awareness. For example, TK Elevator explained how they need to learn about market trends, consumer preferences, and technological improvements on an ongoing basis in order to be at the forefront of the competition. Seoul Waterworks similarly continues to study data and implement new systems to ensure public safety and operational excellence. These observations reminded me that when it comes to business, learning does not end when you leave college. Whether it’s formal education, certifications, trade research, or just remaining current with market trends, lifelong learning is something that cannot be avoided—it’s something you must do.
Another major theme that struck me on this trip was the social environment within businesses. By visiting such businesses as Hyundai, TK Elevator, and Samsung, I saw how critical company culture and employee well-being are for a business to be successful. TK Elevator had an employee lounge complete with ping pong tables, golf simulators, a gym, etc. which not only promoted work-life balance but also camaraderie between employees. We found at Samsung their vast employee amenities, including free meals, day care, and even on-campus healthcare.
In addition to these perks, cooperation and collaboration was everywhere we went. From groups at Hyundai assembling vehicles with harmonious coordination to employees at TK Elevator laboring in unison on strategy and innovation, the message was clear: great companies are built on solid social foundations. As a newbie in the business arena, it showed me that good relationships and good communication at work are as important as achieving performance levels.
The most self-relevant experience during the trip was collaborating in a cross-functional team for our final project. We had both engineering and business majors in our group, and we were encouraged to design a smart system and develop a sustainable business model from it. Our engineers gave us the technical understanding of the feasibility and implementation of our smart system, whereas we business students developed the market strategy, price, and value to the customer.
It was an educational experience in problem-solving through diverse teams by taking advantage of each member’s individual strengths. Communication was paramount—how to verbalize one’s thoughts in a manner acceptable to teammates outside one’s own field. This is the sort of collaborative effort that happens in the world when business professionals are always working together with engineers, data analysts, marketers, and so on to create a product or service. Hyundai and Samsung are both examples of this on a mass level—engineers design the product, but logistics experts, sales individuals, marketers, and accountants must turn that product into a global success.
My Plus3 Korea experience was not a vacation, it was a personal, professional, and cultural milestone. I learned about cutting-edge businesses, comprehended the ethical complexities of global business, saw the importance of lifelong learning, and collaborated on a team that mirrored the diversity of skills that exist in real businesses. I also gained an appreciation of Korean culture and established meaningful relationships with my fellow students that enhanced the value of the experience.
This experience cemented my commitment to becoming a business professional whose career is not only lucrative but also socially responsible, culturally aware, and morally upright. It reminded me that it takes more than mere number-crunching to be a business professional—it takes collaboration, it takes grasping complexity, and it takes picking up lessons from the world around me on a continuous basis. I leave this program with a sense of purpose and a better understanding of what it means to be a future business leader.
