한국 현대사에서 6·25 전쟁 이후 가장 큰 국가적 환란이 무엇이냐 묻는다면 나는 단연 IMF 외환위기라 답할 것이다.

경제는 추락하고, 불안과 절망의 탄식들이 거리를 덮었으며, 이대로 가다가는 정말 나라가 망할지도 모른다고 생각했던 그 엄청난 공포의 기억은 아직도 많은 사람들의 뇌리에 남아 있다. 
다행스럽게도 우리는 그 환란을 빠르게 극복했다.

전 세계인들이 놀라워했다.

특히 2002년 월드컵은 우리에게 국가적 자신감을 불러일으킨 획기적 이벤트였다.

성숙한 시민의식, 건강한 애국심, 전 국민적 화합의 몸짓 등은 이제 우리도 당당히 세계무대의 주역이 될 수 있다는 확신을 가져오게 했다.

그것은 또 우리 사회가 진정한 선진사회로 발전하는 새로운 가능성의 발견이기도 했다. 

그러나 그 후로는 그만이었다. 월드컵의 그 뜨거운 함성 이후 지난 몇 년간, 우리는 한국사회가 사회문화적으로 한 단계 더 업그레이드될 수 있는 절호의 기회와 시간을 잃어버렸다.

잔치는 끝났고, 어수선한 뒤풀이 끝에 종종 따라붙는 시비와 주먹다짐만 끊이지 않고 일어났다.

그 가운데서도 타인과 타(他)집단에 대한 존중 혹은 배려의 부족은 이른바 ‘집단이기주의’의 모습을 하고서 우리 사회를 깊은 병중(病中)에 들게 했다.

주변을 한번 돌아보라. 지금 이 시간에도 각종 재개발, 환경, 혐오시설의 설치반대 구호와 깃발은 전국의 하늘을 수놓고 있다.

정부가 추진하는 SOC사업이 일부 환경론자와 지역민들의 반대에 발목 잡히는 일은 이제 너무 흔한 일이라서 숫제 뉴스거리도 되지 못한다.

뉴스가 안 되니 일부러 뉴스를 만들기 위해서라도 더 과격한 시위와 구호로 눈길을 끌려 한다. 심지어 정부로부터 더 많은 보상금을 얻기 위해 ‘묻지마식 반대시위’를 기획하는 경우마저 허다하다.

내가 오랫동안 몸담았던 자동차업계만 해도 환율하락과 고유가, 수출채산성 악화로 경영사정이 극히 어려운데도 불구하고 연례행사처럼 벌어지는 노사분규, 노동조합의 반대에 막힌 경영합리화 계획, 그로 인한 작업장 운영의 경직성 등으로 그 속병이 깊다.

같은 공장 안에서 일손이 부족한 생산라인에 일손이 남는 다른 작업자를 투입하는 작업장 재배치 계획이 집단이기주의에 매몰된 한 강성노조의 반대로 무산되는 광경을 보는 일은 차라리 절망스럽기까지 하다.

대체 무엇이 잘못된 것일까?

우리 시대의 모든 리더들에게 묻고 싶다.

지역, 계층, 세대, 직종들 사이에서 일어나는 이러한 집단적 이기(利己)의 모습은 그것을 중재하고 조정해야 하는 진정한 리더나 조직이 없어서가 아닐까?

중재할 수 있는 곳이 마땅치 않을뿐더러, 설령 누군가 중재에 나서더라도 그 권위를 인정하려 들지 않기 때문이 아닐까?

이것이 만약 진실이라면 우리 사회의 진정한 리더와 리더십 부재로 인해 우리는 너무 많은 대가를 치르고 있는 셈이다.

오늘 우리는 사회 전체의 이익보다 자신이나 자신이 속한 조직만을 생각하는 그 집단적 이기주의를 관리하고 통제하는 더 강력하고 인정받는 리더들이 필요하다.

중재와 조정의 역할로서만이 아니다. 오늘날과 같이 불확실성이 큰 시대를 헤쳐 나가기 위해서는 그 어느 때보다 분명하고 선 굵은 리더의 역할이 절실하다.

유행처럼 번졌던 지난 시대의 우상(偶像) 파괴는 이제 그만 되었다. 이제 우리는 우리 시대가 요구하는 새로운 우상을 발굴하고 키워야 할 때다.

Column contributed by Mark Juhn / CEO of Hyundai Corporation

There is one TV commercial; the first scene shows an ambulance appearing in a
crowded street at a business district and having trouble in making way because
of illegally parked vehicles along the road. The second scene presents a full
shot of the ambulance men desperately waiting for the road being cleared way.
The third, the ambulance managed to get out of the crowded street and finally
arrived at the hospital. Lastly, the scene of the patient and the doctor being
relieved and having conversation together is followed. And the caption goes
“ If we were 15 minutes late, …”

This is a Japanese public campaign ad on the parking violation produced
by a Japanese Organization of Public Campaign Advertisement.
I personally hope that more often I could spot this kind of ad on TV in Korea,
which I could not in reality. It might blow it out of proportion, if I say this,
but I could not help feeling that the recent public campaign ads from the
government and public sectors are made to aim at the extravagant
publicity effect.

In those developed countries where they have even more vehicles than we do,
the traffic disorder due to the illegal parking is unlikely to happen in both
residential and downtown areas.
Also it is not common in those countries to watch the ugly scenes such as
people haggling over the parking place or the ambulance got stuck in the street
carrying a patient, as we often see in Korea.
Maybe it is because in those countries the authorities dealing with parking
regulations are taking strong measures to prevent parking violation but more
importantly, I think, it is because of their citizen’s voluntary action for keeping
public order. This shows a small practice like observation of the parking
regulations could bea stepping-stone of making a pleasant automobile culture.

Last week, there was an announcement from the student body of Seoul
National University that they decided to secede from Han Chong Ryun
(Korea University’s Association). I regarded this as the end of era that those
big words “ Democracy, National Independence, Nation,” and
overconsciousness on ideology are declined, and our society is shifting.

We have too much focused on big things. Everyone paid their attention
only on big stuff while little things were overlooked.
It is true we needed these attitudes at the time but now it is different.
What we need now is a thorough action, not those extravagant catchphrases.
I like to point out once we take up an attitude of observing a little thing like
parking regulations we are able to accomplish big things.

Column contributed by Mark Juhn / CEO of Hyundai Corporation

I have recently read a news report that the pros and cons over the street smoking
ban policy, which is strongly driven by a local government of Seoul City, have
been much debated. According to this report, the Seungbuk-Gu office of Seoul
designated some streets of a University in the Gu’s as outdoor non-smoking
area by carrying the ordinance, which is for the first time in Korea, and this
led to designate Children’s Grand Park and Chonggyechoeon as a voluntary
non-smoking area. It was also reported that Jeju Provincial Government would
appoint the central downtown sidewalks as ‘Healthy Street’ and is
outlining for imposing a fine for default if someone smokes in these areas.

Restraining from smoking outdoors, in addition to the indoor smoking ban,
could obviously stir up quite a backlash from the smokers for the time
being. However, the general situation seems to be inclined to the favor
of outdoor smoking ban. According to the latest poll about ‘what do you
think of the street smoking ban?’ conducted by the Internet portal, Empas,
it was found that about 63%, 770 of 1,300 responders voted in favor of ‘
it is a good policy for promoting healthful society’. This signifies
the two thirds of the netizens, so called icon of freethinking in our
times, voted to agree on the policy.

Despite all those controversies, I think, these measures are very critical
for reducing cigarette consumption and further safekeeping the health of
our society as well as founding the public order. In fact, Hyundai Corporation,
my workplace, has launched a variety of non-smoking campaigns at a corporate
level; in a bid to induce the employees’ non-smoking, the company’s
intranet bulletin board has a special section for the non-smoking,
providing information on the smoking-caused diseases and other general
health information. Meanwhile, in an attempt to give a motivation for
those who want to quit smoking, the company has raised a ‘ non-smoking fund’.
I am also actively involved in the campaign as an active supporter for
non-smoking, encouraging and guiding those who are committed to non-smoking
through replying to each and every post in the bulletin board.

Since harms of smoking are generally well recognized, I suggest, smokers
should first approach to this issue based on the right consciousness of
citizenship and recognize that their smoking damages others’ health,
before grumbling at the lack of places for smoking. More importantly,
smokers should be aware of that their own health condition is not only
their own business. I hope that these controversies over the street
smoking ban would give an opportunity for our society to chew over
its significances.

“ I am the one who brings good luck. So l believe Hyundai Corporation
as well as every member of the company will go great. “

It is his words that Mr. Mark Juhn, CEO of Hyundai Corporation,
recently enjoys saying to his employees when he meets them.
Last Monday when he went around each division at the office, he again
conveyed this message to the employees.

Hyundai Corporation staffs are encouraged with this message because
he could not give this kind of message to the employees without
the confidence in the current management status, in which the company
is in the process of corporate restructuring program.

A company official said, “Whenever CEO Juhn delivers these promising
message, the employees feel as if they have powerful supporters for them”
and “it is firmly believed by the members that once the company succeeds
in graduating from the restructuring program by the end of this year,
the company can get back to as it was.”

In fact, since CEO Juhn took the office in March 2004, the company
has shown remarkable improvement. Since 2005, the company turned and
has stayed in black and, in the first quarter of this year (January to
March period), posted 4.1 billion won in sales profit and 8.4 billion won
in net profit. In addition, CEO Juhn successfully launched Yemen
LNG project, which strengthened its strategic resources development
business. He also completed in establishing Qingdao Hyundai Shipbuilding
by successful take over.

Since last October, CEO Juhn has regularly gone on ‘Saturday-hiking’
to Bukhan Mountain with the company staffs and management every week.
He believes that hiking can help each member get closer and exchange
ideas, and that will result in beneficial effects at work.

"Develop New Niche Businesses for Breakthrough in Share Price"

Mark Juhn, who is best known for his success of opening up the US market with
his idea of ‘100,000 mile warranty for 10 years‘ while he was serving in Hyundai
Motors Company, has rolled up his sleeves now to make a breakthrough

in the share prices of Hyundai Corp. His growth strategy is summed up as
continued investment in energy sector and diversification of revenue sources
though developing new niche businesses.

His strategies start to bear fruit these days. The company’s share prices, which
were hovering below KRW 2,000 when he took office in April last year, even rose over
KRW 8,000 during March, barely a year after. As of 16th of May, the prices stood at
KRW 7,200. CEO Juhn has always been behind such positive growth with his efforts
to tap into new businesses from home electronics assembly, to shipbuilding and
to steel distribution, not alone to expand the company’s existing energy business.
And also he has pushed to start dining and fashion businesses in respect of
business portfolio diversification.

"The change of business environment has left us no option but to expand our
businesses. We simply cannot stay viable only with a general trading agency
service, " and "in order to survive, now it is required to understand the global
market trends and be the first to provide products and services to meet the
needs of the markets”, stressed CEO Juhn.

Among his successful moves to execute his niche market development strategy,
are to acquire a small and medium sized shipyard of China that produces vessels
between 10,000ton and 20,000ton ships, in November last year and to assemble
and sell the high tech digital home appliances such as PDP and LCD-TV. 
Also, his idea of entering into distribution business of construction-use sheet files
is being highly appreciated in the market, which was, in fact, for the first time
among the general trading companies.

Due to the elimination of unprofitable business sectors, the company’s sales
in the 1st quarter have been declined to KRW 334.5 billion from the same period
of the previous year. However, the company recorded operating income of
KRW 4.8 billion in the first quarter this year, a decent 54.8% growth from the same
period last year, and its ordinary income and net income rose 19.6% to KRW 5.5 billion.
Most of all, the portion of its operating income in its ordinary income is distinctively
highest among its competitors, raising its future prospect of staying in black.
CEO Juhn has mapped out the corporate mid/long-term strategy to help the company
emerge as a ‘superbly sound’ corporation, achieving operating income of
KRW 26.1 billion through sales growth of KRW 1,591,3 billion this year and targeting
sales of KRW 4 trillion and operating income of KRW 100 billion by 2008.

To that end, he plans to gear his efforts to earlier operation of the shipyard in China
that the company has acquired last year, expansion of steel distribution business,
and new acquisition of home electronics assembly lines overseas. Participation in
new energy development projects will be aggressively pushed while the segment is
expected to generate KRW 25 billion this year, a hansom profit, following
KRW 24.5 billion last year.
Reportedly, CEO Juhn has recently got back from his visit to a powerplant in
Southeast Asia where he had talks for new orders.

As for liquidation plan of creditor banks and burden of high volume convertible bonds,
“I am not in the position to make any comments on the liquidation issue which is
creditor banks’ business to take care of and as for CB, I hope things will work out
best both for the company and the shareholders ", he said.

"Our creditor banks have willingness to support us starting up profitable businesses
although it is true that for a company under the corporate workout program, it has
many difficulties in starting new businesses. From this perspective, I expect we both
parties to maintain cooperative relationship going forward, in such matters as
advancing into new businesses", he added.