Industry tour

Over the next 1.3 days, we visited 3 industrial sites that are the pride of modern Korean Industry. The POSCO steel plant in Pohang was our first stop. Some of the staff at the main office warmly greeted us at the door, leading us to a presentation room to deliver...an introductory video! My eyes were rolling like someone had let go of a window shade.

The model of the plant they showed us next was accurate and detailed. LEDs indicated which parts performed basic smelting, casting, steelmaking, and rolling. Our tour took us around most of the process by bus, but we were allowed to see the rolling mills in person. Even from 100 ft. away, we could feel the heat from the red-hot ingot as it passed through the mills. The jet of hot steam as coolant water poured on the ingot was almost deafening.

After we left for the nuclear power plant, Julie had the idea (bless her heart) to stop at the beach for a quick break. Within 10 minutes:

• Jon and Margie got soaked up to the knees due to a wave
  
• I responded to an unprovoked splash
  
• The ensuing skirmish ended in stalemate due to MAD of each other's shoes

At the nuclear plant, Erica translated for the first part of the tour, explaining how the HWR worked. We even got to see Chernekov radiation first hand, as they deposited spent fuel in the holding tank. Oh, and they also showed us a video. I hate management speak so much. here's just a few of the meaningless terms they threw around in these videos:

1. 'Future-oriented management' - Duh...any other kind of management is known as mismanagement.
   
2. 'Strategic development initiatives' - as opposed to 'arbitrary development'? Why is this news? Did they just abandon plans for a sticker factory or something?
3. 'Customer-oriented company' - yeah, and the other kind of company is called 'bankrupt'
4. 'value-added' - buy raw materials cheap, make something with them, sell result at a higher price...otherwise known as the basis for every industry ever. Again, why is that novel enough to mention in a 5 minute pitch?
   

I don't understand who this sort of jargon is supposed to impress, and I'm saddened that such American bullshit has been successfully exported.

The evening ended on a high note, since Mr. Kilsu Park generously sponsored a round of Noraebong at the hotel. After more drinking in front of the hotel, some of us visited a 'foreigners-only' casino. John's winnings bought some expensive liquor for this who played, while the rest of us ended up heading back early to pack for the morning departure.