The two children of Lee Jae-yong, the leader of Samsung Group, his son Lee Ji-ho and daughter Lee Won-joo, have been learning Chinese since childhood and can speak Mandarin fluently, which is somewhat unexpected but also reasonable.
The wealth of Samsung Group can be described as "rich enough to rival a country", with Chairman Lee Jae-yong's fortune alone estimated to be around $11.5 billion, indicating the importance these chaebol families place on Chinese.
This phenomenon is not limited to chaebol families; even the grandchildren of former South Korean President Roh Tae-woo have studied and lived in China.
When it comes to former South Korean President Roh Tae-woo, many people are aware of his important position in South Korean history, as well as his deep affinity with China, having returned to Shandong with his wife to pay respects to their ancestors.
The recent hot news is the divorce lawsuit between Roh's daughter Roh Soo-young and the chairman of SK Group, Chey Tae-won.
Although Roh Soo-young had long been aware of her husband's infidelity, she endured it until her children were grown before swiftly devising a revenge plan.
In the first trial, she was awarded over 300 million RMB, but she was not satisfied and appealed.
In the second trial, she was awarded 7.3 billion RMB and a share of the stock, which made Chey Tae-won anxious, so he prepared to file for a third trial.
It is worth mentioning that Roh Soo-young's outstanding children have all studied in China: her eldest daughter attended an international school in Beijing, her second daughter attended the High School Affiliated to Renmin University of China, graduated from Peking University, and eventually married a Chinese-American.
What's even more surprising is that the third party in Chey Tae-won's affair (nicknamed "Madam Hannandong") had also studied at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in China and could deliver fluent speeches in Chinese.
So, what is the underlying reason for the South Korean elites to learn Chinese?
To be honest, it is very normal for the descendants of chaebol families to learn Chinese.
Because Chinese characters were originally used by the nobility, South Korea did not have its own writing system in the past and borrowed Chinese characters, which only the nobility could learn and write.
Although Hangul was later invented, this writing system is like pinyin and cannot accurately convey meanings.
Therefore, even today, Korean ID cards still have Chinese character names, and many important documents are still written in Chinese characters.
This historical background and cultural context have led to the importance that South Korean elites attach to learning Chinese.
They hope to better understand Chinese culture and deepen exchanges and cooperation with China through learning Mandarin.
In addition, with China's rise on the global stage, mastering Chinese has also become a manifestation of international competitiveness.
For South Korean elites, learning Chinese is not only for personal development but also for the interests of the country and enterprises.
Therefore, the underlying reason for South Korean elites to learn Chinese is not only for the inheritance of historical culture but also to better cope with the challenges and opportunities of today's world.
The continued existence of this phenomenon will provide a more solid foundation for friendly exchanges and cooperation between China and South Korea.
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