For the most part, I think Korea is mostly a polychronic country. Although they acknowledge the importance of time, Koreans also don’t let it confine them. Of course, this may not apply to the corporate realm, where businesspeople in any country are expected to be timely and efficient. But, I’m talking about the greater masses. The Korean people's’ attitudes towards life is probably not unanimous, but in general I think Koreans are flexible with time.
But, I also don’t think it’s totally black and white. I see a bit of monochronic behavior in Korea depending on the situation. For example, trains have to follow a strict schedule. Most people with jobs understand to be timely. People with appointments are expected to show up on time. I feel like this is the basic necessity for being a respectable member of society. The Westernized Korean society is showing increased awareness for time which is apparent in institutions such as schools, companies, factories, hotels, and stores. So, in this case, punctuality and diligence is a basic criteria for being a respected member of a specific community.
It's a different case for traditional Korean society, however. Back then, there were no such modern institutions so punctuality and diligence were mainly things that women, servants, and manual workers had to worry about. High-class men, or yangban, were not expected to show diligence because they did not do much (or any) physical labor. The servants and women were given those jobs, which included preparing food, sewing, cleaning, and washing.
In general, Koreans like spending time together especially with the family, which further supports my claim about their sense of polychronism. It’s more obvious if I compare Korea to America, which is a country that highly values punctuality. Korea appreciates leisure time and it shows in their sense of community and collectivist mindset.
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