The Irish of the East

I've heard it said a few times that Koreans and the Irish are similar: they both like to talk, sing and drink, and both countries were invaded and dominated by imperial nations. Here is an article from today's JoongAng Daily (English paper in Korea) about the two peoples similarities. The article asks if Korea can follow the example of the Celtic Tiger, Ireland's economic success.

The curious thing is, the writer is asking if Korea can be as economically successful as Ireland, when it is already one of the economic miracles of the last 15 years. And this is something many people aren't aware of; a common misconception back home is that Korea is undeveloped and backward, a third world country. South Korea was actually lagging behind the North economically until the 1970s, and yes, there was famine and extreme poverty. But since the late 1980s, the country has undergone a drastic transition, and is now in fact the world's 12th biggest economy, with international influences. Samsung, LG and Hyundai: you probably have something made by them at home or at work. All Korean.

Quite successful, I'd say, given that the country isn't much bigger than Ireland. So it strikes me as odd that they still don't accept their own achievement.