Sales and after-sales service, or A/S, are second only to the selection of the appropriate product and price in determining the long-term success of U.S. suppliers in the Korean market. Immediately following the Korean War, at a time when foreign exchange was exceedingly scarce, Korean plant operators learned to rely on their own resources or on the many small machine shops in order to service machinery. This tradition of self-reliance and improvisation is still evident in contemporary Korean business practices. However, with heavy competition among foreign suppliers in the Korean market, servicing has become an increasingly important component of selling.

Private traders and offer agents often hire in-house engineers to install equipment. For specialized installations, however, the best sources of assistance include resident and offshore foreign engineers in coordination with local engineers, whose services are available on contract.

Japan's geographical proximity to Korea as well as the similarities in business culture between the two countries allow Japan to send teams of specialists to Korea at minimal cost and effort in order to offer skilled advice in installation, maintenance and repair. U.S. firms should consider establishing regional servicing facilities that can effectively service and support equipment sold in Korea. The emphasis given recently by some American firms on the training of personnel, often through U.S.-based programs, has proven beneficial.