Korea as a Multi-Ethnic Country

A daily newspaper, Hankyoreh, which is categorized as a progressive newspaper (or sometimes left-wing) introduced a series of articles, ‘Multi-Culturalism is Our Future.’ [KR] Korea, where one culture and one ethnic group are emphasized, currently has a population with only 2 percent foreign residents –1 million population. The newspaper article brings a netizen's complaint and other responses following his (or her) opinion.

한겨레가 다문화가 우리의 미래랍니다. 다문화가 왜 우리의 미래가 되어야하는지 왜 다문화하지 않으면 않되는지. 다문화반대하는 사람들은 없는지 왜 반대하는지 토론하고 함께 고민해본적 있습니까?……한겨레 당신들은 일방적인 다문화선동의 앞쨉이들 입니다. 군사정권이 언론장악하고 권력장악하고 국민들에게 일방적으로 민주인사를 빨깽이로 여론몰이하는거와 뭐가다른가? 외국인문제 다문화문제 비판하는 사람들 일방적으로 제노포비아니 외국인혐오주의자니 국수주의자니 하며 매도하는 당신들……과거군사정권하고 뭐가 다르지?[…]

불체자추방이 왜 인권침해가 되는지 부터 좀 설명해주시죠. 다문화가 어떻게 우리의 미래가되지 않어면 않되는지도 설명 좀하시고 불체자옹호/다문화가….우리가난한서민에게 해가되지 않는다는것도 증명좀 해주시고 불체자.외국인노동자 범죄에 대해서/또 우리서민들 일자리문제에 외국인이 관련이 없는지

Hankyoreh said that multi-culturalism is our future. Why should multi-culturalism be our future? Why is it necessary? Is there anyone who is opposed to multi-culturalism? Have you thought about it or have you had a chance to discuss this matter?…. Hankyoreh, you're the instigator who forces multi-culturalism. How is your attitude different from the military government that occupied media and authority and let people believe democratic activists as commies? You condemn people who criticize issues of increasing foreigners and multi-culturalism as xenophobes and nationalists. How much are you different from the military government of the past?[…]

Please let me know why driving illegal foreigners out is to breach human rights? Please explain why multi-culturalism should be our future and please prove why illegal foreigners don't harm our poor citizens. Please say why those illegal foreigners are not going to affect our citizens’ jobs.

I introduce opinions following his writing.

물론 생각의 다양함이 있다는 것을 이해하려고 해도 답답한 마음을 지울 수 없다. 문화라는 것은 서로 교환되고 전파되는 것이다. 글쓴이는 단순히 불체자들의 위험성 때문에 반대하는 것 같은데…물론 그런 위험성은 어디에나 있다. 우리가 쇄국정책을 쓰지 않는 한…그래도 인터넷이든 여러방법으로 문화는 전파된다. 무서워서 문을 닫고 사느니 오히려 흡수하는 것이 더 안전하다…

I know that there are diverse thoughts and I should understand them. However, I feel heavy. Culture is to exchange and to disseminate. The writer is just opposed to the danger of illegal foreigners. Of course, there will be danger. As long as we don't use a national isolation policy, culture will be circulated by Internet or by other matters. Rather than closing the door, it's safer to absorb them.

다문화는 미래가 아닙니다… 엄연한 현실이죠. 폐쇄적이고 배타적인 역사는 존립하기 어려운것은 역사적 사실들이 증명하고 있지요… 님 글을 읽으면서 극우 파시스트가 떠오른게 아마 나만은 아닐것 같습니다만… 오히려 다문화 찬성자들보다 님같은 극우 파시스트들이 한 사회를 철저하게 파괴해왔다는것도 상기해주시기 바랍니다.

Multi-culturalism is not our future, but our reality. Excluded and isolated history is difficult to exist. It is historically proved. Reading your opinion, I don't think that I'm the only one who thought about the extreme Fascist. Don't forget that in the past a society was destroyed by people who are like you, Fascists, not by multi-cultural supporters.

다문화 운동은 다른건 몰라도 외국인과 결혼한 농촌가정 때문에 꼭필요하겠죠,,뭐 무분별한 외국인 노동자 유입이나 불체자 문제 같은건 적절이 조절해야 겠지만요,,,

Multi-culturalism campaign is necessary due to farmers who married foreigners. Regarding illegal foreigners, we should adequately control this problem.

잉간아,,,우리나라가 한민족이라구 착각하지마라,,,,원래 다민족이야,,,그리구 울나라 사람,,세계각국에 이민 안간곳이 어디있니? 선진국들이..울나라 이민자들 받아주고 버려진 입양아들도 받아주고 그러는 판에….장가못간 농촌 노총각한테 시집온 동남아 젊은 며느리….각종 공사판 인부들,,,,다 포용해줘야 인간적이지 않겟니…넘 이기적으로 놀지말자.

Please don't be confused that we're the one ethnic group. We're also multi-ethnic groups… and think about our people. They are everywhere now. In developed countries, they accepted us as immigrants and adopted our kids. Think about Southeast Asian wives who marry farmers in the countryside now. Think about construction workers… Don't we have to embrace all of them? Don't be so selfish…

다문화.. 지금 시대에 당연한 말아닙니까? 지금 우리나라가 다문화국가로 가고 있지만 들어오는 외국인들에게 한국의 문화만 일방적으로 교육시키는게 문제죠. 다문화로 진입하는데 있어서 한국사람들도 아니면 외국인 아내를 받아들이거나, 외국인노동자를 고용하는 데에서는 그 사람들의 국가에 대한 문화적 이해도 교육받아야 합니다. 제 개인적인 생각입니다

Multi-culturalism… Isn't it natural to this world now? At present, our country is becoming a a multi-cultural country. The problem is that we feed our culture to foreigners who come to Korea. In order to step in multi-culturalism, we should study cultural understanding of those foreign wives and laborers. It's my thought.

개인적으로 다문화는인정은할수있지만.권장은못하겠군요..남미처럼 메스티소같이되면 안되니까.불법체류자추방해야합니다.합법적으로일하는사람만이일해야합니다.법이고무줄입니까.

In my personal opinion, I acknowledge multi-culturalism, but I don't recommend it. I think that we should drive illegal foreigners out. Foreigners who have legal status should work. Law should be respected.

Foreign workers in Korea are sometimes regarded as people who weaken the locals’ job opportunities. The news articles and a netizens’ reactions raises a question whether it really causes job problems to the locals at present.

님 다문화가 현실이에요 가락시장 가보세요 말 통하는 중국교포 정도되면 고급인력에 속해요. 50%이상은 베트남이나,말 안통하는 사람들이에요! 어떻하실건데요 가락시장,중소기업,구인광고 내면 한국사람들 전화 한통없답니다. 이미 엄청남 규모의 외국인이 들어와 있어요 님들이 그렇게 주장하면 폭력이에요, 현실을 직시하시고,같이 살아갈수 있는 방법을 모색하는게 올바른 해결책입니다. 그리고 님 한국사람들은 원하시면 언제든 취업 가능해요 한국사람들이 일하러 온다면,두손들고 환영들 하실거에요 외국인 노동자 해고를 하더라고 한국사람 먼저 고용한답니다. 지금 한번 알아보세요,정말 환영할거에요. 저도 가락시장에 있지만,정말이지 일하러 오는 사람 없어요 아니 없는게 아니고,완전 전멸 이에요. 한국사람은요! 온다고 해도,며칠 하고는 다들 그만두죠. 저도 배울만큼 배웠고,이바닥에서 벌써 7년째네요 이제 봉급도 높은편이고,사는데 지장없어요.

Multi-culturalism is already reality. Go check Karak Market. Ethnic Korean-Chinese who are able to have communication with us are high pay human power. More than 50 percent are foreigners such as Vietnamese who are not able to communicate. What will you do? If we put some recruit advertisements, Koreans don't contact us. There are already many foreigners. If you keep insisting like that, disregarding the reality, it is a kind of violence. The best solution is to face the reality and to seek for ways to live together. And then, if Koreans would like to work, it is possible to find jobs. If they come, we will welcome them. Rather than hiring foreign laborers, we would like to hire Koreans. Check it out. I also work at the Karak market, but people don't come here for jobs. It's impossible to run into Koreans here. Even though they come, they quit in several days. I also learned enough and have stayed here for 7 years. Now my salary is not bad and I don't have a problem to make a living.

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