By Kim Tae-gyu
Staff Reporter
Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kun-hee warned again that the nation is ``sandwiched'' between Japan and China and things are getting worse.
On his way to the Hoam Prize awarding ceremony, the 65-year-old tycoon told reporters Korea's hardship would get worse because of stiff competition with China and Japan.
Such concerns are sometimes called the ``sandwich theory'' _ Korea is sandwiched between Japan in the lead and China catching up from behind.
``The sandwich-like troubles (of Korea) pile up. We are required to nurture our talented people for them to become geniuses,'' Lee said surrounded by journalists.
Asked whether companies such as Samsung, the nation's biggest conglomerate, foster talent well, he answered positively while hinting that the country's education system was problematic.
Lee has mentioned the sandwich theory, which is not so different from the ``nutcracker'' theory created a decade ago by Booz Allen, several times.
Booz Allen developed such a hypothesis to refer to Korea in the aftermath of the Asia financial crisis, which hit the country hard in late 1997.
The sandwich theory got prominence early this year when Lee spoke of it in light of Japan's technological prowess, which is far superior to Korea, and China's cost advantages thanks to its cheap labor.
Since 1991 the Hoam Prize, funded by the Hoam Foundation, an affiliate of Samsung, honors distinguished Koreans and foreigners for their contribution to science, culture and the welfare of mankind.