earticle

영어

The purpose of this paper is to compare the communication styles of Korean and Japanese Vessel Traffic Service Officers (VTS Officers) through the measures they take in corresponding emergency situations. International trade has grown rapidly throughout most Asian maritime regions with a majority of vessels being of foreign origins with registered crews of multiple nationalities. With this rise in marine traffic, the number of accidents at sea have escalated. At present, many support services are available but one of the most important roles is played by the Vessel Traffic Service Center (VTS Center). The operators at these centers provide necessary information to the vessels to ensure safe navigation. The authors consider the complications of differences in the communication styles that effect relations between Japan and Korea. Both societies demonstrate high context cultures with a strong sense of group values. A strong belief in harmony and saving face in their respective cultures originates from Buddhism and Confucianism. However, unlike Japanese, Koreans are more apt to express their opinions strongly and demonstrate a greater degree of flexibility at international venues. These tendencies become clearly apparent in the results of this study.