“Hard Working Chinese Workers”

“I am even afraid when I see Chinese workers learn more than what they are taught. They just come from China due to `cheap payment`, however, they utilize Korea as `step for taking-off`.”

SKC Fujou Video Tape Factory in Pujen, China. Chief Jang Suk-jun, who is the only Korean, mentions Chinese workers as `very aggressive and progressive.`

▽ Dropping rate of inferiority due to delicate skill = workers in Fujou factory are 800 and they are staying in a hostel. 600 are women among them. In assembly line on fourth floor, women in 20s assemble parts of tape such as spring and film by skillful hand. Although there is automatic line, clients prefer hand made goods, which is made by Chinese women workers.

Their talent is approved by low `goods inferiority`. Rate of inferiority of SKC Fujou factory is 20ppm (less then 20 among 1 million) and it is only 1/10 of Cheonan factory. The reason why Fujou factory supplies goods as OEM to Fuji film, Maxwell, TDK Polaroid, etc is due to such high quality of goods.

▽ Independent goods improvement = SKC Fujou factory exports more than 70% of the whole production of video tape ( 66 million per year) to Japan. And it exports 25% to U.S and Europe and 5% to China. It has settled down in China as an export firm.

Chief Jang says, “ Quality of Fujou factory is rising through volunteer team work of Chinese workers.” He explains that he `taught` the principle of SUPEX, which is SK`s know-how, and they are developing it as `their own know-how`.

Workers of Fujou factory are divided into 50 teams and work for improving goods. In their activity, they have their own method, which SK `didn`t teach`.

At first, self-evaluation of the team member was quite aggressive. Ryusihai, chief of team, said, “we evaluate ourselves in positively, contributing to fair improvement, sharing of idea, etc and entrust the result to the third team member, so called the third party evaluation`. ” Team leader who was selected as good team leader every month shares his knowledge of goods improvement, attending other team meetings and it isn`t included in SUPEX of SK.

▽ Surprising desire for developing technology = Their `greed` for developing technology is great, too.

Rysijong, C.E.O of the firm said proudly, “Local engineers repair all kinds of manufacturing facilities that were imported from Korea ” and “ if price of parts is expensive, we sometimes get it manufacture on demand from by giving design to Korea. ”

“Chinese workers pointed out problem in Video tape packaging that is imported from Korea and suggested `transfer of technology`, and I can see future of China through them. ”

Praise of Chief Jang came to us as actual fear.

Kang-Woon Lee kwoon90@donga.com