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Racism in South Korea

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Racism in South Korea stems from the common belief that Koreans are a "pure blood" that have been homogenous throughout history.[1]

Ethnic Discrimination

The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination was “concerned that the emphasis placed on the ethnic homogeneity of Korea might represent an obstacle to the promotion of understanding, tolerance and friendship among the different ethnic and national groups living on its territory.” [2]

In ethnically homogenous South Korea, such mixed-race offspring are generally viewed with contempt. Biracial men were banned from serving in the South Korean military until January 2011.[3] A 2009 poll revealed that 47% of Korean children were uncertain or negative on the subject of whether they could make friends with a biracial child.[4] Ethnic prejudice is thought to be widespread throughout the Korean education system.[5][6]

Bonojit Hussein case

In July 2009, Bonojit Hussein, an Indian national who was working as a research professor at Sungkonghoe University, was called "Dirty" and "Pitch-black foreigner" by (first name withheld) Park while riding on a bus. Park also questioned Hussein's companion, a South Korean woman, whether "she was a real Korean woman" and "how it felt going out with pitch-black foreigner?" Hussein then reported Park to local police. A police officer who arrived on the scene told Hussein that "there's no racial discrimination in Korea". The policeman also said to Park, "Why did you, a good-looking man dressed in a suit, treat a man who's having a hard life here poorly?" in Hussein's presence. At the police station, while policemen talked to Park in formal Korean, Hussein was spoken to in informal Korean. Policemen questioned Hussein, "How can a man born in 1982 become a research professor? Really, what is that you do?[7] After this story was reported on national media, National Human Rights Association gave a warning to the policeman then recommended that the policemen be educated in human rights. The case of Hussein was a landmark case as it was the first time the National Human Rights Association ordered a 'Recommendation Measure' for a racial discrimination case and led to prosecution for a racial comment for the first time as well.[8]

Racial discrimination

Bath House Case

On October 2011, Soojin Goo, a naturalized South Korean citizen formerly from Uzbekistan was denied entry to a public bath house in Busan, South Korea for being a "foreigner" despite showing her South Korean passport and resident registration card. According to the bath house, the denial was based on "Regular patrons' fear of contracting AIDS". After being denied entry, Goo sought help from local police. However, Goo was told to seek other baths houses since there are no legal basis for prosecuting ethnic discrimination in South Korean law.[9] After this story caught the national attention in South Korea, many other cases of ethnic discrimination were reported. Yula Jahng, a naturalized South Korean citizen originally from Philippine, told a reporter from Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation that "Department store associates see our color of face and think that we are poor and tell us to get out no matter what."[10]

Xenophobia in the media

A hate group called Anti-English Spectrum has been widely consulted by Korean newspapers about an alleged spree of foreign crime, which is mostly fabricated.[11] In 2008, Seoul.com issued a press release referring to foreigners as "poisonous mushrooms" and "viruses". In their official apology, the website stated that "our English is much better than [the critics'] Korean" and that "they must learn the Korean culture of statics".[12] In 2009, the Chosun Ilbo, one of Korea's largest newspapers, ran a week-long series of articles alleging foreigners were entering Korea deceptively to ensnare Korean women.

See also

References

  1. ^ http://koreaweb.ws/ks/ksr/ksr02-03.htm
  2. ^ "UN panel faults Korean emphasis on homogeneity".
  3. ^ S. Koreans Reclaim Biracial Football Champion as One of Them. Latimes.com (2006-02-13). Retrieved on 2011-09-30.
  4. ^ Biracial Children Accepted, Shunned by Classmates. Asian Correspondent (2009-01-26). Retrieved on 2011-09-30.
  5. ^ Paul Z. Jambor (2009) Sexism, 'Ageism and Racism Prevalent Throughout the South Korean System of Education', United States of America – Department of Education – Educational Resources Information Center: ED506242. Eric.ed.gov. Retrieved on 2011-09-30.
  6. ^ Gi-Wook Shin – Director at Shorenstein Asia Pacific Research Center (2 August 2006). "Ethnic pride source of prejudice, discrimination, Blood-based ethnic national identity has hindered cultural and social diversity in Korea, experts say; Appeared in The Korea Herald". Stanford University.
  7. ^ '"Dirty", "Pitch-Black Foreigner" Blunt Talking Leads to Contempt. Seoul Broadcasting System. Retrieved on 2011-10-22.
  8. ^ '"National Human Rights Commission, Recommendation Measure for a Racial Discrimination Case for the First Time. imaeil.com. Retrieved on 2011-10-22.
  9. ^ 'Denying Entry for Different Skin Color'... Bath House Racial Discrimination. YTN. Retrieved on 2011-10-22.
  10. ^ 'Anger over Racial Discrimination for Denied Entry at a Bath House.. National Human Rights Commission Begins Investigation. Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved on 2011-10-22.
  11. ^ Korea Herald, Chosun Ilbo, Seoul Shinmun – see also blog
  12. ^ Seoul.com: “We Are Not Anti-Foreigner”. Asian Correspondent (2008-09-02). Retrieved on 2011-09-30.
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