Korean Job-seekers Prefer Google and Apple

Barely a year and a half after the entry of Apple's iPhone into the Korean market, and the ensuing "smart-phone shock," The Korea Herald reports that Korean-job seekers name Google and Apple as the top two companies they'd like to work for. According to the latest survey of 1,428 job seekers by SaraminHR Co., 16.7 percent of the respondents selected Google Korea as the most desired company to work at among foreign firms, citing the company’s corporate culture and work environment. It marked the third year in a row that Google Korea claimed the top spot, according to the operator of the job search Web portal. Apple Korea retained its runner-up position for the second year, winning votes from 10 percent of those surveyed. The respondents said that Apple’s reputation and corporate image are the reasons they want to work for the maker of the iPhone and the iPad. Apple made the list of the top 10 most popular foreign companies for the first time in 2010, following the iPhone’s local debut. The two U.S. tech giants were the only technology firms to make the annual list this year, reflecting their ascent in Korea with its strong acceptance of smartphones.