Koreans in Malaysia
Regions with significant populations | |
---|---|
Kuala Lumpur | [1] |
Selangor
| [1] |
Sabah
| [2] |
Languages | |
Korean, English, Chinese, Malay[3] | |
Religion | |
Mahayana Buddhism,[4]and Christianity[5] | |
Related ethnic groups | |
Koreans |
Koreans in Malaysia numbered 14,580 individuals as of 2009[update], nearly triple the total of 5,920 individuals in 2005, according to South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. This made them the 20th-largest community of overseas Koreans, and the 5th-largest in Southeast Asia.[6][7]
Migration history
The history of Koreans in Malaysia goes back almost half a century; Malaysia and South Korea established diplomatic relations in 1960, and in the following decade, when Malaysia faced a shortage of doctors, a number of foreign doctors, including Koreans and Filipinos, were authorised to practise in Malaysia.[8][9] Some construction workers, pilots, and sailors were also sent to the country.[10]
Demography and distribution
The Korean community in Malaysia consist mostly of expatriates working in South Korean companies, as well as an increasing number of international students.[11] The number of retirees coming under the Malaysia My Second Home immigration programme has also been increasing.[1] Most Korean residents are concentrated in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor, especially in Ampang, where a Koreatown is beginning to sprout.[12] The popularity of Korean dramas in Malaysia has meant an increasingly friendly reception for Korean expatriates by local people.[11] Real estate investment is another factor drawing Koreans to migrate to Malaysia, due to the taxes imposed on people who own more than two properties in Korea; Malaysia is the second most popular market for overseas real estate investment by Koreans, after the United States.[1]
Around 200,000 South Korean tourists came to Malaysia in 2006; Kota Kinabalu was their most popular destination.[9] About 1,800 to 2,000 Koreans reside in Sabah, most of them in Kota Kinabalu.[2] Sabah Oil and Gas Terminal project in Kimanis, Papar has brought South Korean employees of Samsung Engineering to work and live there until the terminal completion in December 2013.[13]
Education
Roughly 2,000 of the Koreans in Malaysia are students; Malaysia's multicultural environment offers them the chance to practise English as well as study other languages such as Chinese or Malay; they describe the educational environment as being more relaxed than in Korea. Korean churches form an important part of their social life.[3][5] Their parents also prefer Malaysia to other countries for several reasons. The low cost of living and education in Malaysia is a major pull factor; Parents also believe Malaysia offers a better environment for English study than neighbouring countries, as prevalence of Islam in Malaysia means that the nightlife is less of a distraction. A representative from one Seoul company which helps to arrange overseas study for local students estimated that 90% of Korean students going to Southeast Asia choose Malaysia as their destination. However, some international schools have stopped accepting Korean students because they have become too large a proportion of their student bodies.[11] In many cases, mothers come to Malaysia with their young school-age children, while the breadwinning father remains behind in South Korea and sends money to support them.[14]
Malaysia's first officially-registered school for Korean nationals, the Malaysia Korean School, was established on 7 December 1974; it had 26 teachers and enrolled 148 students as of 2006[update]. It is located on Jalan Ampang in Kuala Lumpur.[15]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d Phoon, Zoe (26 November 2007), "'Hwan Young Hap Ni Da'", New Straits Times, retrieved 1 January 2008
- ^ a b "Brisk business at Korea Fair", New Sabah Times, 28 September 2009, retrieved 21 December 2009
- ^ a b "Great chance to mix", The Star, 16 July 2006, retrieved 2 May 2007
- ^ "Korean Buddhist congregations in Malaysia", World Buddhist Directory, Buddha Dharma Education Association, 2006, retrieved 9 March 2009
- ^ a b Tan, Ee Loo (16 July 2006). "Feeling at home in Malaysia". The Star. Malaysia. Retrieved 4 May 2007.
- ^ a b 재외동포현황/Current Status of Overseas Compatriots, South Korea: Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, 2009, retrieved 21 May 2009
- ^ "재외동포 다수거주 국가", 재외동포현황, Overseas Korean Foundation, 2007, retrieved 10 October 2008 [dead link]
- ^ Henderson, John William (1970), Area Handbook for Malaysia, American University, p. 151, OCLC 154312
- ^ a b Ariffin, Roslan (8 March 2007). "Najib Dijangka Kukuhkan Hubungan Dua Hala M'sia-Korea Selatan (Najib plans strong Malaysia-South Korea bilateral relations)". Bernama. Retrieved 4 May 2007.
- ^ Bonacich, Edna (1991), Immigrant Entrepreneurs: Koreans in Los Angeles, 1965-1982, United States: University of California Press, p. 104, ISBN 0-520-07656-7
{{citation}}
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suggested) (help) - ^ a b c Kim, Hyun (31 January 2007). "Malaysia emerging as destination for Korean students seeking global education". Yonhap News. Archived from the original on 31 March 2007. Retrieved 4 May 2007.
- ^ Rhee, Hyun Ah (18 December 2006). "Koreans find green pastures in Ampang". Malaysiakini. Archived from the original on 24 January 2007. Retrieved 4 May 2007.
- ^ Samsung Engineering officially signs the Sabah Oil & Gas Terminal Project, Samsung Engineering, 18 October 2010, retrieved 12 June 2012
- ^ Lim, Yun-suk (17 February 2009), "Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: Weakening Korean won forces South Koreans to give up overseas plans", Channel News Asia, retrieved 29 April 2009
- ^ "Overseas Korean Educational Institutions". International Institute for Education Development, Republic of Korea. 2006. Archived from the original on 8 January 2008. Retrieved 31 December 2009.
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Further reading
- Na, Eun-young (2007), "국어교육: 재 말레이시아 한국 학생들의 국어 학습 인식 조사 - 말레이시아 한국인 학교(토요 학교)를 중심으로/Korean-language education: A study on the Korean language learning awareness of Korean students in Malaysia - case study of the Saturday school of the Malaysia Korean School", 새국어교육/Modern education of Korean language, 75: 145–162, ISSN 1226-6736