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Julius
Joined: 27 Jul 2006
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 Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 8:35 am Post subject: "We are unkind host to foreigners" |
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We are unkind hosts to foreigners"
By Kim Rahn 04-18
Are Koreans ready to embrace multiculturalism? A survey shows that there is a long way to go before the Confucian-steeped country becomes a truly multicultural society.
A government-sponsored survey showed that only a third of Koreans agreed to the coexistence of various races, religions and cultures.
The latest case in point illustrating that the country isn�t ready to embrace naturalized citizens and foreign residents were racial attacks by bloggers on Philippine-born Jasmine Lee. Lee who was married to a Korean man � now deceased � took Korea citizenship and became a proportional representation lawmaker-elect of the ruling Saenuri Party in the April 11 elections. Some bloggers posted racist comments, claiming interracial families were gaining at the expense of Koreans.
�In Europe, antipathy toward minority ethnic groups has become an issue, with riots occurring. In Korea, the number of foreigners is still small, but when it grows, racial problems will emerge here, as we already saw with the attack on Jasmine Lee,� professor Mo Kyung-hwan at Seoul National University said.
It seems the government�s efforts to have interracial families and foreign residents integrated into Korean society haven�t worked well as seen in the survey and the recent racist attacks on a Korean-Chinese murder suspect, and the naturalized lawmaker-elect from the Philippines.
According to the Korean Multiculturalism Inventory conducted by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family on 2,500 citizens between December and January, 36.2 percent of Koreans agreed to the coexistence of various cultures in the country.
The ratio was far lower than 73.8 percent, the average ratio of 18 European nations, based on the Eurobarometer Survey and the European Social Survey, the ministry said.
This was the first time for Korea to develop and conduct such a survey to measure the degree of multiculturalism.
Some 86 percent of Koreans also said having Korean ancestors was important for the nation�s identity, attaching greater importance to �racial homogeneity� than Japan�s 72.2 percent, the United States� 55.2 percent and Sweden�s 30 percent.
However, the respondents weren�t so united on whether foreign residents had a negative influence on society. About one third of them said foreigners take their jobs away, increase the nation�s crime rate or make the state pay more for support to them. Such ideas were much stronger in European nations such as Germany, Britain and France.
�The survey was conducted in December and January, before the Wu Yuanchun murder case, and the election of Jasmine Lee. We guess if we conduct the survey now, more people may answer foreigners boost the crime rate,� a ministry official said.
Earlier this month, Wu abducted, raped and killed a 28-year-old Korean woman in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province. Since then, negative comments on Korean-Chinese residents have spread rapidly on the Internet.
The survey also showed, in general, people experiencing more education or events related to multiculturalism or those more frequently meeting foreigners were more open-minded. However, the openness rather fell among those having foreign residents as family members or those who �very often� meet and talk to foreigners.
�People having a very direct relationship with foreigners may have conflicting interests from the latter�s. For example, Korean laborers in industries which hire many migrant workers had more negative views on multiculturalism because they think foreigners may take their jobs away,� the ministry official said.
Mo said understanding of multiculturalism has grown superficially when it comes to matters of right and wrong. �But people turn negative when asked whether they are willing to pay more taxes to help interracial families better adapt to Korea.�
�In the case of people with foreign family members, too, they face difficulties while living with the members and have to help the latter in their daily lives. In the position of providers, they may develop a negative perspective on multiculturalism,� the professor said.
Along with the survey, the ministry and the Prime Minister�s Office announced measures to support interracial families, but most of them are focused on assisting the families� adaptation to Korean society.
�Foreign residents make up about 2 percent of population. Government measures should focus more on the remaining 98 percent, Koreans. It is important for the majority to learn how to respect differences and embrace migrants as members of our society,� Mo said.
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2012/04/117_109236.html |
I don't think foreigners particularly want to be viewed as a tax burden, or that koreans should pay extra taxes to help them integrate.
The main thing needed, IMHO, is to regulate the national media to stop spewing a one-sided anti-foreign message.
Instead govt should commission its considerable media resources to start presenting a more balanced and positive image of multiculturalism. |
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PatrickGHBusan
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -
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| Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 10:00 am Post subject: |
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Interesting but how do you regulate national media?
Media has the right to its own opinion, that is what free press is all about. It would not look kindly on any government "regulating" what media can say or how they say it....that is a very slippery slope. |
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Swampfox10mm
Joined: 24 Mar 2011
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some waygug-in
Joined: 25 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 10:54 am Post subject: |
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I guess you'd start by levying stiff fines for media outlets that spew inaccurate, racist blather. They would start thinking twice before just allowing anything and everything.
But that will not happen. |
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PatrickGHBusan
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -
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| Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 1:47 pm Post subject: |
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| some waygug-in wrote: |
I guess you'd start by levying stiff fines for media outlets that spew inaccurate, racist blather. They would start thinking twice before just allowing anything and everything.
But that will not happen. |
Good idea. Then again it is a very slippery slope when the government starts doing such things. |
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orosee
Joined: 07 Mar 2008
Location: Hannam-dong, Seoul
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| Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 3:28 pm Post subject: |
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This forum (and many others) has a basic code of conduct which limits the opinions that can be expressed here (including racism and I guess calls to kill certain posters). Many news websites also have moderators that are charged with reviewing the comments and either removing them or approving them. I don't see why this can't be done generally, and without government intervention. It's sad that it actually requires a gov. action here.
Websites without moderation usually end up containing only garbage comments that hide the few thoughtful opinions, bad examples being the CNN and YouTube comments. |
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flakfizer
Joined: 12 Nov 2004
Location: scaling the Cliffs of Insanity with a frayed rope.
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| Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 3:34 pm Post subject: |
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Yikes. |
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alongway
Joined: 02 Jan 2012
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| Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 3:44 pm Post subject: |
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| PatrickGHBusan wrote: |
| some waygug-in wrote: |
I guess you'd start by levying stiff fines for media outlets that spew inaccurate, racist blather. They would start thinking twice before just allowing anything and everything.
But that will not happen. |
Good idea. Then again it is a very slippery slope when the government starts doing such things. |
Not really. The only thing that would be necessary would be to require the newspaper provide sources for claims it makes about things like statistics or things like that when asked. If they refuse or can't, then they should retract it, and receive a substantial fine if they're found to be repeated the behaviour.
They can still have opinions. It would just be anything that sounds like a fact based claim or statement should have a basis in reality.
If I reporter writes, for example,
"Foreigner drug crime is skyrocketing!"
but the stats say it increased 1% this year. It's very easy to say that is not an accurate description of what is happening. Now if it's a much higher percentage we might get into a discussion of just how much is skyrocketing, but there are plenty of clear-cut cases where one can easily and objectively say whether or not the way something has been written or presented is balanced. |
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IncognitoHFX2
Joined: 15 Mar 2012
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| Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 3:48 pm Post subject: |
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Holy hell. I'm surprised at how many negative comments are written in English too, doesn't that kind of defeat the purpose of xenophobic nationalism? |
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CaliUSA
Joined: 30 Jan 2011
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| Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 3:54 pm Post subject: |
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| Hey OP, thanks for posting this. The results of that opinion survey about multiculturalism and racial homogeneity don't surprise me at all. I've never had a bad experience in a foreign country before. I've lived in Mexico and China for extended periods of time, and had a wonderful experience in both places (though I should mention that in China, I lived in Shanghai, which is maybe a realm of its own). But living in South Korea--even a globally-oriented city like Seoul--has been an absolutely miserable experience; coming here was the biggest mistake of my adult life. This is such a rotten, xenophobic, ugly place. |
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IncognitoHFX2
Joined: 15 Mar 2012
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| Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 3:57 pm Post subject: |
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| CaliUSA wrote: |
| Hey OP, thanks for posting this. The results of that opinion survey about multiculturalism and racial homogeneity don't surprise me at all. I've never had a bad experience in a foreign country before. I've lived in Mexico and China for extended periods of time, and had a wonderful experience in both places (though I should mention that in China, I lived in Shanghai, which is maybe a realm of its own). But living in South Korea--even a globally-oriented city like Seoul--has been an absolutely miserable experience; coming here was the biggest mistake of my adult life. This is such a rotten, xenophobic, ugly place. |
You're obviously going to the wrong places in Seoul... |
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Buddah's Slipper
Joined: 12 Mar 2012
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| Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 4:21 pm Post subject: |
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| orosee wrote: |
This forum (and many others) has a basic code of conduct which limits the opinions that can be expressed here (including racism and I guess calls to kill certain posters). Many news websites also have moderators that are charged with reviewing the comments and either removing them or approving them. I don't see why this can't be done generally, and without government intervention. It's sad that it actually requires a gov. action here.
Websites without moderation usually end up containing only garbage comments that hide the few thoughtful opinions, bad examples being the CNN and YouTube comments. |
Korean mainstream media are the WORST perpetrators. They spout hyperbole and wanton racism with impunity. |
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transmogrifier
Joined: 02 Jan 2012
Location: Seoul, South Korea
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| Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 4:21 pm Post subject: |
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| IncognitoHFX2 wrote: |
Holy hell. I'm surprised at how many negative comments are written in English too, doesn't that kind of defeat the purpose of xenophobic nationalism? |
Unless I'm just missing your sarcasm, all of those comments have been translated from the original Korean. Hover your cursor over the English comment and the original Korean comment pops up. |
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Dodge7
Joined: 21 Oct 2011
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| Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 4:23 pm Post subject: |
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| IncognitoHFX2 wrote: |
| CaliUSA wrote: |
| Hey OP, thanks for posting this. The results of that opinion survey about multiculturalism and racial homogeneity don't surprise me at all. I've never had a bad experience in a foreign country before. I've lived in Mexico and China for extended periods of time, and had a wonderful experience in both places (though I should mention that in China, I lived in Shanghai, which is maybe a realm of its own). But living in South Korea--even a globally-oriented city like Seoul--has been an absolutely miserable experience; coming here was the biggest mistake of my adult life. This is such a rotten, xenophobic, ugly place. |
You're obviously going to the wrong places in Seoul... |
No he's not, it's true. Everywhere you go looks the same: gray, lifeless buildings with xenophobic looks on everyone's faces.
But back to the article. I don't think they are talking about ESL teachers when saying "foreigners." They are clearly heated over the lady from the Philippines in office and southeast Asian migrant workers. But by judging by the looks I get with my wife, they could also be talking about me, too lol. |
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Swampfox10mm
Joined: 24 Mar 2011
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| Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 4:54 pm Post subject: |
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The "benefits for immigrants" thing is a very touchy issue. My wife was watching a TV program about it, and went away somewhat angry. If I understood it correctly, immigrants are being provided free (or mostly free) child care and other benefits. What I don't think she understood is that without this, you'll have entire subsets of non-integrating groups. I think that is what the gov't is trying to avoid. Send the kids to school, teach them Korean, help them integrate, and they'll be less likely to turn out like jobless criminals later.
Or, perhaps they'll be more compliant, educated DDD workers later after they are not allowed better jobs en-mass. 
The part that burns Koreans is that there are a lot of poor Korean families who they feel should be getting more assistance (and more assistance first -- before immigrants).
I believe that even we can get a chunk of cash each month to cover costs of daycare, although my wife likes our nanny situation better. |
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