It’s a privilege and an honor to write this special preface to the Korean edition of my book.

A victim of its geographic position, Korea is a mass of land that dangles like a piece of bait into the Yellow Sea on the west and the Sea of Japan on the East.  Based upon its location, no wonder it has been vulnerable to abuse and subjugation by the U.S.S.R., the Chinese and above all, the Japanese.

Consequently, one aspect of Korean character is the ingrained value of HAHN, the deep-seated feeling of shame, frustration and insecurity coming from centuries of oppression. But these feeling have been harnessed by Korea’s postwar leaders into a strong national motivation to achieve, to save face and to aspire to an exalted place among the world’s community of nations.

Indeed, in the past few decades South Korea has come a long way.  The country of the Great Han People has grown economically from a poor third world country to the 12^th largest economic power.  And all this can be credited to three principal factors:

First, a population with a literacy rate of over 90%.  In fact, there are more PhDs in Korea per capita than anywhere else in the world.

Secondly, the hard work, loyalty and dedication of Korean employees.

Finally, the close cooperative relationship between business and government.

This became evident to the world as a whole, with the staging of the 1988 Seoul Olympics – the most successful ever in terms of organization and of global participation.

But nothing lasts forever.  Life is a series of problems.  Truly, the first of the “Four Noble Truths” which Buddha taught was “Life is suffering”.

And so in 1977 the rapid expansion of the Korean economy came to a halt.  As a result, Koreans became involved in many negotiations with Western Bankers and the International Monetary Fund.  From all indications, these creditors, who were mostly Americans, used hardball “Soviet Style” Win-Lose tactics to buy up companies for much less than they were worth or force restructuring to cause many workers to be laid off.  A notable example was Daewoo Motors, at one time valued at $3 billion, which was acquired by General Motors for approximately $100 million.

Why and how did this happen?

From my perspective, the fundamental role that Confucian traditions had in the development of Korean values may have played a part.  While promoting respect for authority, acquiescence and obedience, some have interpreted Confucius’ teachings to regard negotiations as begging for money from others.  Obviously, most Koreans  understand that this is not the case.

It’s a dramatic fact of life that international negotiations are critically important to the welfare of South Korea.  Of course, I am talking about commerce but even more significant may be geopolitical relationships with countries like Japan, The Peoples Republic of China, The United States and certainly North Korea.

In my first book YOU CAN NEGTOTIATE ANYTHING  I  outlined the Win-Lose Negotiating Style.  Moreover, I explained that this approach did not belong to any particular nation or culture.  It was employed by Moscow in the days of Stalin, but today it may be used by negotiators from Madrid, Mexico, Malaysia, or even Manhattan.

The reason that individuals and corporations use a competitive manner may be rooted in their value systems.  Americans, for example, from an early age learn to be individualistic and self-motivated.  We see ourselves in competition with others and seek practical short-term solutions to problems.

The typical Korean, on the other hand, is taught to think of the collective before the self.  He or she tends to seek cooperative outcomes that preserve harmony among parties and will result in long-term mutually beneficial relationships.

Further, while Americans tend to be literal in complying with contract language, Koreans often feel that changed conditions can alter their obligations to commitments they have made.

As you read NEGOTIATE THIS! By Caring But Not T-H-A-T Much I believe you will better understand how to get into the world of your counterpart so you can transform a potential opponent into an ally.  In essence, though written from a different cultural perspective, I hope that you can relate to my stories and anecdotes and use the ideas and concepts in the pages that follow to enrich you own life.

Having said all this, let me deal with South Korea’s most pressing problem: How can we persuade North Korea’s Kim Yong Il to give up his nuclear capacity and defuse tensions on the Korean peninsula?

All indications are that both President George W. Bush and President Roh Moo-Hyun agree that a nuclear North Korea is intolerable and that a peaceful solution should be pursued.  But they differ on the potential use of force to resolve this issue.

Mr. Roh, it appears, would rely solely on dialogue and concessions to persuade Pyongyang to drop its nuclear ambitions.  Mr. Bush, on the other hand, believes that diplomacy works better when it’s backed by the credible threat to use military force.

The fact is, we need both carrots and sticks.  As President John F. Kennedy once said: “Diplomacy and defense are not substitutes for one another.  Either alone would fail”.

From what we know, the recent Bush-Roh summit in Washington, D.C. resulted in an agreement to restructure U.S. forces in South Korea.  This strikes me as a wise move as removing U.S. troops from Seoul would make the capital a less inviting target for the 10,000 pieces of North Korean artillery aimed at the heavily populated metropolitan area.  Moreover, lowering American visibility would undoubtedly help President Roh politically with younger South Koreans.

By all accounts, with its bomb-building admission, North Korea has been making all sorts of threats, implying that it may even test one of its nuclear weapons.  Certainly, such bellowing language and behavior menace not just South Korea and Japan but the United States as well.

How can this matter be resolved diplomatically without resort to military action?

What America must do at this point is to consult with our close allies, South Korea and Japan, to make sure we speak with one voice. But most important, is to gain the support of Russia and especially China who is the closest thing that Pyongyang has to a friend.

Although the PRC will never publicly admit to putting pressure on North Korea, it doesn’t want the regime to collapse.  If it did, as many as half a million refugees might illegally cross into China.  In addition, a boastful and blustering North Korea with atomic bombs might cause its rival Japan to go nuclear.

Beyond this pressure, there is the prospect of isolating and containing North Korea – – cracking down on its  of export of illegal drugs and missiles.  Then, there is always the possibility of a UN resolution because the reality of an unstable Kim Jong Il admitting that he has the ultimate weapon of mass destruction may be enough to gain the votes of Russia, China and even France in the Security Council.

Balancing the credible threats of these sticks with the alternative carrots, North Korea’s little Kim might well be “incentivized” to take the action we require and diffuse this crisis.

So as you read this book, I believe you will recognize that negotiating is an indispensable tool that can help you in all aspects of your life.

HERB COHEN