Abstract

Formal/Explicit norms in Korea have been significantly changed since the beginning of modernization in Korea, but informal/implicit norms are still firmly based on traditional Confucian rules. Interpersonal networks and high-context communication styles centering around one's own ingroups have reinforced such a tendency. Overall social trust is low in Korea, because people are strongly identified with their ingroups and exclude outgroup members. Besides, Inglehart(1997) revealed that generational gaps in Korea are the largest among the surveyed 43 countries, based on his study on postmaterialism. After a short review of theoretical and traditional foundations of the Korean culture's dual standards, existing survey data were readdressed to illustrate empirical evidence for the discrepancies between formal/explicit and informal/implicit norms of Korea as well as Korean generational gaps. A system- atic survey plan for the late 1990's was finally suggested to examine younger and older Koreans' values, norms, and practices, as a directional guide for the coming 21st century.