Is Racism Serious Here?

By Bryan Kay
Staff Reporter

When Bonojit Hussain from India recently claimed victory in a racial abuse case at a Seoul court, it again brought into the spotlight the uncomfortable subject of racism in Korea.

Many claim the lid has been unscrewed on a rampant problem, but another body of opinion says that racism is no worse here than in any other country.

But with an anti-racism bill pending in the National Assembly and the head of the Korea Immigration Service admitting this week that racism is a grave problem confronting the nation, it is becoming ever clearer the matter is one stoking genuine concern.

In a bid to shed further light on the subject, The Korea Times was in Itaewon over the weekend to ask foreigners if they believed racism is a genuine issue in Korea.

For Canadian English teacher Patrick Diplock, the answer to the racism question is a little more complex than a simple "Yes" or "No."

He says it doesn't occur here in a uniform manner, but rather is generational.

"I have been the victim of numerous threats, assaults and stalking," he said.

Referring to his experiences as a teacher, Diplock continued, "My students are not of a racist mind-set or prejudiced, but they could act in what is perceived as a discriminatory way as a result of parental influence.

"Limits are placed on children, as they will choose not to associate with foreigners in an effort not to cause disunion in the family."

But he believes some behavior may be misinterpreted, pointing to the strict hierarchical structure in the military that sees some look down on those who they see as inferior, including foreigners.

Bangladeshi man Khaled Rahman, a student here, says he has experienced no incidents of racism during his six months in Korea.

"Koreans are very polite, kind and always courteous. Racism has not been obvious to me."

Ugandan student Chris Bridge agrees. He says Koreans are not racist, but believes problems do arise when foreigners are not able to speak English ― a characteristic he believes locals expect of foreign nationals.

An Ethiopian man, who asked to remain anonymous, reckons there is an element of prejudice here.

"To an extent, Korea is a racist society," he said. "I have had slurs and funny looks.

"Some Koreans try to fit you into their social fabric, not accepting you for who you are." He suggested this was perhaps due to a historical lack of exposure to other cultures.

But he added that he has also experienced the "welcoming and embracing" side of Koreans toward foreigners.

Alphonso, a South African English teacher in Boryeong, South Chungcheong Province, who has been in Korea for five months, believes racism is more prevalent outside urban areas.

He said, "In rural areas there is more racism, maybe because of less direct contact with foreigners."

But he continued, "It is not normal racism; it is not about your skin color, but about if you are Korean or not."

Alphonso believes the problem is one among the nation's youth. "Older people are nice and very friendly," he added, explaining that he thinks wisdom comes with age.

"In five to 10 years, racism will be gone; Korea will be totally different."

Senegalese man Diouf Serigne, who came here in 2005 and works on the American military base in Yongsan, says any racism in Korea is more a problem of institutions than people.

He gave the example of non-Koreans born in Korea not being issued with passports.

He said, "Without a Korean father, they will not recognize you as a citizen," claiming such individuals are "citizens of this land and should have the same rights, including the right to leave, which they are being denied."

Muneer Ahmad, who is from the disputed region of Kashmir on the Indian sub-continent and runs an Islamic book center in Itaewon, says Korea has no more of a problem than any other country.

"Korea is not racist ― it is not right to judge an entire country," he continued.

"There are some bad people here, but every country has the same problem. Racism is all over the world.

"There are all types of people in Korea, and racists are certainly not the majority.

"Every nation has people who are proud, and pride is a form of ignorance and arrogance, out of which racism is born.

"Knowledge is the answer. If you have a proper understanding of justice then you cannot be racist.

"Korea is not an enlightened country, so they can have a tendency to look down on you if you are not born here."

A female Canadian English teacher, who spoke on condition of anonymity, believes there is a lot of misunderstanding in Korean society.

She said many of the issues can be put down to ignorance, a lack of acceptance and even fear ― all of which she has encountered.

One-year resident Mark Rogers, an English businessman, was among the naysayers. He said, "(Korea) is not a racist society. The only unpleasant thing I have noticed is bad behavior by youths.

"Koreans are the most welcoming people in the world. Many places are much more racist than Korea."

Rogers reckons many issues may simply be put down to the language barrier.

"Sometimes, if you cannot speak Korean, they can seem as if they are being isolating, which may appear discriminatory, but, it is not intended as such."

community@koreatimes.co.kr

Korea Times intern JR Breen contributed reporting to this article.