The Visible & Muffled Minority

Koreans, historically, are unwelcoming to foreigners. Before the country was forced open to Western influences under Japan's dominion, it had maintained a strict closed-door policy to all contact but trade and cultural exchange with neighboring China and Japan. This policy was gradually cemented into the Korean mindset following French and American campaigns against Korea in the mid-19th century. In retaliation for the execution of its first missionaries sent to Korea (an act motivated mostly by the humiliation brought on by foreign powers in the Opium Wars), the French deployed a naval mission to the hermit kingdom. Though the French forces were forced to retreat, Korea lost many valuable books and national treasures to plundering, and it remained sore from this encounter throughout its first interactions with the US and other Western powers.

The Paris Foreign Missions Society in the 19th century. The four missionaries on the left were later martyred in Korea.

Today, almost no trace of such hostility remains in the Korean economy, which in 2011 was ranked 7th and 9th in total international exports and imports, respectively. However, Korea is still characterized by a populational homogeneity that has only now begun to diversify with the influx of foreign migrants. As a member state of the prestigious 20-50 club, an exclusive group of countries (7 total) with a per capita income exceeding 20,000 USD, and a population of over 50 million, Korea provides an ideal environment for many investors, foreign workers, and exchange students. While Western travelers described local hospitality as "their most distinctive impression of Korea," Koreans have been known to discriminate and treat poorly visitors from other Asian countries, especially those that come to the country with purposes beyond tourism or temporary study. At the crux of this conflict is the rising presence of foreign marriage migrants and long-term laborers.Laborers, especially those from South Asia, are leased to enter the country under the competitive "Employment Permit System Recruitment," a system that delegates immigrants jobs in manufacturing, construction, agriculture, and fishery that have often been classified as "DDD" (dirty, dangerous, demeaning). Even after entering Korea, such laborers are only guaranteed two 4.5-year residencies, just short of the 5 year requirement for permanent residency. Unfortunately, such unfair policy is merely a reflection of Korean sentiment, which is piled high against immigrants.

One of many Korean visas issued to foreigners entering Korea for work. Continual restrictions on the issuance of visas has not discouraged foreigners who compete fiercely for the coveted legal acknowledgement.

Another group facing strong persecution in Korea is migrant spouses. While 86% of laborers are male, nearly all entering spouses are Asian women, following their husbands to a foreign land, where they are often shunned for their distinct appearance and inability to speak Korean. Many of these women follow their husbands for the rich economic opportunities in Korea, which can translate to remittances for struggling family members back home. Unfortunately, children of these "multicultural families" often face the brunt of prejudice. Despite identifying as Korean, many are shunned by their peers and teachers due to their mixed bloodline; those unable to afford school are often under-educated and unable to speak proper Korean or gain a high paying job. Unlike in other destination countries, migrants in the Korean Peninsula are isolated from mainstream Korean society for life, and the government is only now beginning to enact infrastructure protecting foreigners' rights.

Foreign wives assimilate to a new life in Korea through cultural immersion activities such as making the side dish kimchi.

In 2008, the Korean government released an "Act on Support for Multicultural Families." Recognizing the increasing percentage of "multicultural families," the legislature sought to organize efforts at integrating foreign mothers and their half-Korean children into regular society, while also defending migrant laborers' rights against work-related prejudice. Recently, several NGOs in the country have released a myriad of suggestions specifically targeting youth integration into the economy/society. The proposed solutions include, but are not limited to translating official documents and educational guidebooks into common minority languages(also provides jobs for immigrants), creating a government-funded network of multicultural families to allow greater communication and representation, providing extra Korean language classes especially for resident aliens (can be founded in partnership of the Office of Education and local community colleges). However, none of these solutions have yet been  implemented, and current infrastructure reveal a disinclination for the maintenance and funding of integration programs. So why do foreigners continue to flock to the Korean Peninsula? Beyond the obvious economic reasons, immigrants to Korea gain access to a much broader job market, and comparatively equal opportunities regardless of gender. Koreans are grudgingly tolerant of foreign laborers, for not only do they fill the undesirable "manual labor" roles, but the current system encourages temporary stay, which provides migrant labor on a temporary basis, meeting the seasonal demands of industries such as agriculture or fishing, without the obligation to provide for their welfare. Additionally, Korea has one of the world's lowest birth rates, at a meager 1.3 children per woman (Ministry of Health and Welfare). Korea's population is estimated to continue decreasing over the next few decades, due to a social environment in which women are more often choosing to work, instead of getting married and rearing the next generation. In this manner, migrant wives have been instrumental in providing children for many young Korean males who find themselves without a partner.

Korea's quickly rising foreign population. Statistics have risen significantly since this study was conducted in Dec. 2011.

Korea, previously a country unmentioned on world maps, is now one of the most appealing destination nations for international migrants. Where the US was once the paragon for economic opportunity, the Korean Dream is now fueling the paths of many migrants, especially in Southern Asia. Though the government and people are encountering many obstacles in accommodating the new residents, Korea must recall the policy decisions of other destination countries, including the US and Canada, and gradually build an environment of not only tolerance, but respect.