Koreans in the Arab world
Total population | |
---|---|
c. 24,000[1][2] | |
Regions with significant populations | |
United Arab Emirates | 10,356[3] |
Saudi Arabia | 5,189[1] |
Qatar | 3,000[4] |
Algeria | 1,158[5] |
Kuwait | 1,000[6] |
Egypt | 995[7] |
Jordan | 592[8] |
Oman | 468[9] |
Morocco | 369[10] |
Bahrain | 282[11] |
Tunisia | 196[12] |
Syria | 162[13] |
Iraq | 113[14] |
Yemen | 112[15] |
Libya | 111[16] |
Sudan | 101[17] |
Lebanon | 76[18] |
Mauritania | 43[19] |
Palestine | 13[20] |
Languages | |
Korean, Arabic, English, French | |
Religion | |
Buddhism, Christianity, Islam | |
Related ethnic groups | |
Korean diaspora |
Koreans in the Arab world used to form a major part of the worldwide Korean diaspora. Koreans started coming to the Arab world in large numbers in early 1970s as migrant labourers; between 1975 and 1985, 1.1 million Koreans came for work, which made it the third-most popular destination for Korean emigrants.[21] Eventually, most returned home or moved on to other countries, and as of 2014[update], the South Korean government's own figures showed over 24 thousand of their nationals living in the region. However, South Korean nationals are present in all of the region's countries, and North Korean workers also have a growing presence in several of them.[2]
History
Though Korea had a long history of trading contact with the
The growth in the South Korean migrant worker population reflected a deliberate policy of the government to promote manpower exports; they had established a special department for this purpose as early as the mid-1960s, and in the 1970s, construction enterprises were given priority in order to facilitate their entry into overseas markets.
The receiving countries were concerned about the effect that long-term residence of migrant workers could have on their societies; they preferred Korean workers because they were unaccompanied by family members and so stayed only for short periods.[27] The typical length of an assignment in the region was three years.[25] Migration to the region would peak in 1982 and 1983.[21] Wages were around four to five million won, roughly twice what could be earned in South Korea at the time, and workers typically remitted 80% of their salaries. Families used saved remittances to purchase houses or start businesses. However, migration was not a success for everyone: roughly one-in-ten workers returned from the Middle East reported a decrease in income, usually due to inability to find suitable work. The hot, dry climate and long work hours also resulted in health problems for many workers, and the medical bills whittled away at their savings.[28]
Several factors in the late 1980s contributed to decreasing the amount of Korean migration. Increasing labour unrest initiated by South Korean workers provided one stimulus for the localisation of the workforce.[29] South Korea's rising labour costs were another reason. During the latter half of the 1980s, the proportion of Korean labourers working on construction projects for Hyundai declined from 70% to only 20–30% during the 1980s, with the shortfall being taken up by local labourers instead.[21][30] By 1990, only 56,000 South Korean migrant workers went abroad to any destination, a drop of over 70% since 1982.[31] By 1992, the wage gap between South Korea and the rich countries of the Middle East had largely disappeared.[32] The South Korean population would shrink over the following decade before rebounding slightly to 13,008 by 2009. Over the next two years, the population would show rapid growth of nearly 27%, reaching 16,461 by 2011. Nearly three-quarters of that recent population growth was driven by increased migration to the United Arab Emirates.[2][33]
Furthermore, in an echo of the South Korean policy of the 1970s and 1980s, the North Korean government has also been sending its workers abroad to earn hard currency for their country recently. As of 2009[update], there were estimated to be six thousand North Korean workers in various Arab countries, including Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, and Yemen; like the South Koreans two decades earlier, they also work primarily in construction-related trades such as welding and carpentry.[34]
By country
Bahrain
Bahrain was a minor destination for South Korean migrant workers in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Egypt
Egypt was a relatively minor destination for Korean migrant workers.[21] The Cairo Korean School, founded on 5 December 1979, is one of the region's few Korean day schools; it enrolled 27 students at the elementary level as of 2007[update].[37] However, their student numbers have been falling, and from 2002 until 2008 they did not even hold any graduation ceremony.[38] There is also a Korean church in Cairo, which conducts various outreach activities.[39] As of 2011[update], South Korean consular statistics recorded 995 of their nationals or former nationals living in Egypt, with 886 in Cairo and surroundings, and 109 living in other parts of the country. 21 are Egyptian nationals, 65 are international students, and 909 have other kinds of visas. Their population has remained roughly stable since 2009.[7]
The Korean School in Cairo (카이로한국학교), a South Korean international school, is in New Cairo.[40]
Iraq
The first group of nine South Korean workers arrived in
Jordan
Jordan was a minor destination for South Korean migrant workers in the 1970s and 1980s. The first group of 90 migrant workers arrived in 1975; from then until 1985, a total of 12,544 came to the country. The number reached its peak with 2,404 in 1980 but fell to less than a quarter that level by 1985.[21] By 2011, the country had the Arab world's seventh-largest Korean population. From 356 in 2009, the number of South Korean nationals grew by 66% to 592 in 2011. Among them, 48 were international students, while 544 held other types of visas; none had become Jordanian nationals. The vast majority (556, or 94%) lived in Amman or its surroundings, with another 14 living at Irbid, and 22 in other places.[8][33]
South Koreans in the country pursue a variety of professions. Some are interested in investing in construction projects in the country.
Kuwait
Koreans in
There was formerly a small contingent of
Libya
Though Libya did not receive its first South Korean workers until 1977, it quickly became a popular destination; it was the only Arab country which experienced consistent growth in the number of Korean workers between 1981 and 1985, and by 1985 it had already become the Arab world's second most popular destination, with 23,138 arrivals from South Korea. In total, from 1977 until 1985, 103,953 South Koreans came to Libya.[21] However, virtually all returned home, and as of 2009[update], it was estimated that only 854 South Korean nationals lived in the country.[33] The South Korean population fell a further 87% in the next two years, leaving just 111 South Koreans in the country.[16] Libya also has a Korean weekend school, founded in 2000; it enrolled 22 students from kindergarten to high school levels as of 2007[update].[58]
North Korea also dispatched labourers to Libya in the 1980s and 1990s; a batch of Northern construction workers arrived in Libya in 2008. There were estimated to be roughly 200 North Korean expatriates in Libya as of 2011[update].
Qatar
South Korea and
In addition, an estimated 3,000 North Koreans lived in the country as of 2015[update].[64] This accounted for approximately 40% of the working population of North Korean in the Persian Gulf region at that time.[64] North Korean workers are reported to be among the lowest paid in the country, earning US$170/month, less than even Nepali migrants; they perform low-skilled work such as plastering and bricklaying. Their lives are subject to a great deal of official constraint, and they try to avoid contact with the South Koreans.[65] There were no registered schools for Korean nationals in Qatar as of 2007[update].[66]
Saudi Arabia
South Korea established
In 1998, South Korea closed their consulate in Jeddah. There was no known North Korean presence, and North Korea does not maintain diplomatic relations with the kingdom.[67] As of 2011[update], South Korean government figures showed 2,821 of their nationals or former nationals in the country, up by about 40% from 2,014 in 2011. This made them the second-largest Korean population in the region, having surpassed the population in Qatar which shrank during the same period. 43 were Saudi nationals, 65 were international students, and the remaining 2,713 had other kinds of visas. 1,479 lived in Dammam, 607 in Riyadh, 394 in Jeddah, 134 in Medina, 100 in Jizan, and 11 in 'Asir Province.[70][33]
There are two Korean international schools in Saudi Arabia: Korean International School of Jeddah (KISJ; 젯다한국국제학교) and Korean School in Riyadh (리야드한국학교).[71][72]
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates received a small contingent of Korean migrant workers in the late 1970s and early 1980s, but it was never a major destination.
Many South Koreans in the UAE are flight attendants working for
There are also believed to be roughly 1,300 North Korean workers in the UAE, primarily in Dubai and
Other countries
Other Arab countries that received Korean migrant workers during the late 1970s and early 1980s include Yemen, Oman, and Sudan.[21] There are Korean weekend schools in Mauritania (Nouadhibou), Morocco (Rabat and Agadir) and Tunisia (Tunis).[66]
References
Notes
- ^ a b 재외동포현황 [Current Status of Overseas Compatriots] (in Korean). South Korea: Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. 2015. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
- ^ a b c MOFAT 2011, pp. 263–294; statistics for MOFAT's "Middle East Region" (중동지역), without Israel and Iran, plus Algeria which it classifies under "Africa Region" (아프리카지역)
- ^ a b c MOFAT 2011, pp. 277–279
- ^ a b MOFAT 2011, p. 291
- ^ MOFAT 2011, p. 322. 903 live at Oran, 159 at Algiers, 79 at Skikda, and 40 at Boughezoul. This represents rapid growth since 2009, when only 183 South Korean nationals were recorded as living in the country.
- ^ a b MOFAT 2011, p. 292; Cheongwadae 2007, President Roh Moo-hyn's State Visit to the State of Kuwait also states there may be as many as 4,000 North Korean workers in the country, which if correct, would give Kuwait the second-largest Korean population in the region
- ^ a b MOFAT 2011, p. 290
- ^ a b MOFAT 2011, p. 283
- ^ MOFAT 2011, pp. 281–282
- ^ MOFAT 2011, pp. 267–279
- ^ a b MOFAT 2011, p. 271
- ^ MOFAT 2011, p. 293
- ^ MOFAT 2011, p. 276
- ^ a b MOFAT 2011, p. 284
- ^ MOFAT 2011, p. 280
- ^ a b MOFAT 2011, p. 266
- ^ MOFAT 2011, p. 274; note that the statistics predate the independence of South Sudan
- ^ MOFAT 2011, p. 265
- ^ MOFAT 2011, p. 270
- ^ MOFAT 2011, p. 289; in the 2011 report, the population figure for Palestine was listed as a subtotal under Israel, in contrast to the practise in the 2009 report (MOFAT 2009), in which it appeared as a separate country. Nine South Korean nationals were recorded as living at Bethlehem, and four at Ramallah.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Seok 1991, pp. 56–58
- ^ a b Baker 2006
- ^ a b Bonacich & Light 1991, pp. 105–106
- ^ Park 1998, pp. 122–123
- ^ a b Steers 1999, pp. 107–119
- ^ Seok 1991, pp. 58–59
- ^ Park 1998, p. 122
- ^ Seok & Yang 1992, p. 106
- ^ a b Halliday 1984
- ^ Kwon & O'Donnell 2001, pp. 104–105
- ^ Park 1998, pp. 121–122
- ^ Seok & Yang 1992, p. 111
- ^ a b c d MOFAT 2009
- ^ a b "N. Korean Workers Brave Hard Times in UAE", Chosun Ilbo, 25 December 2009, retrieved 29 December 2009
- ^ a b "New education exchange plans are on the way", Gulf Daily News, 6 February 2012, retrieved 30 April 2012
- ^ 바레인 한인사회. Korea Times (in Korean). 25 October 2001. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
- ^ NIIED 2007, 카이로한국학교
- ^ 카이로 한국학교 8년만의 졸업식 [Cairo Korean school holds first graduation ceremony in 8 years], Yonhap News (in Korean), 20 February 2009, retrieved 19 September 2009
- ^ 세계 속 한민족 : 이집트 한인 교회 여성 봉사대 가난한 집 아기 씻기고 분 발라줘 [Koreans around the world: Egypt Korean church women's service team helps babies of low-income families], JoongAng Ilbo (in Korean), 8 March 2005, retrieved 19 September 2009
- ^ Home. Korean School in Cairo (카이로한국학교). 1 August 2015. Retrieved on 21 September 2015. "48 Rd 1st Zone 6th Area New Cairo, Egypt"
- ^ Hwang, Balbina (13 February 2004), "South Korean Troops to Iraq: A Boost for U.S.-ROK Relations", Heritage Foundation WebMemo, no. 427, retrieved 22 May 2009
- ^ Lee, Chi-dong (13 March 2007), "South Korean troops asked to stay longer in Iraq", Yonhap News, retrieved 26 April 2007
- ^ "South Koreans detained by Iraq insurgents released", People's Daily, 9 April 2004, retrieved 26 April 2007
- ^ 김의장, 요르단 교포 격려, Maeil Business Newspaper (in Korean), 21 February 2009, retrieved 24 February 2012
- ^ Jeong, Jae-su (26 September 2006), 요르단 국립대학 한국어과 개설, Dongpo News (in Korean), retrieved 25 February 2012
- ^ Onishi, Norimitsu (1 November 2004), "Korean Missionaries Carrying Word to Hard-to-Sway Places", The New York Times, retrieved 25 February 2012
- ^ Mossalli, Marriam (15 June 2011), "Archived copy", Arab News, archived from the original on 3 March 2016, retrieved 25 February 2012
{{citation}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ Bharadwaj, Vinita (9 May 2012), "A Multicultural Comic Wows Arab Crowds With an Insider's Touch", The New York Times, retrieved 10 May 2012
- ^ a b c Cheongwadae 2007, President Roh Moo-hyn's State Visit to the State of Kuwait
- ^ MacKellar 1982
- ^ Mohammed 2003, p. 21
- ^ Mohammed 2003, p. 20
- ^ NIIED 2007, 쿠웨이트한글학교
- ^ Choi, Jin (10 January 2011), "Casey Exchange employee among first Koreans to serve soldiers abroad", Army.mil, retrieved 25 February 2012
- ^ Suh, Jung-min (16 January 2005), "Seoul denies Korean soldier was killed in Kuwait", JoongAng Ilbo, archived from the original on 14 July 2012, retrieved 25 February 2012
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: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ "About 3,000 North Korean Construction Workers in Kuwait: KOTRA", YON – Yonhap News Agency of Korea, 27 November 2004, retrieved 22 May 2009
- ^ O'Carroll, Chad (27 March 2014). "North Korea's Air Koryo resumes Pyongyang–Kuwait service". NK News. Retrieved 1 October 2014.
- ^ NIIED 2007, 재리비아주말한글학교
- ^ Yi, Yeong-jong (25 February 2011), 리비아 북한인 200명 왜 철수 안 시키나 [Why the 200 North Koreans in Libya are not being evacuated], JoongAng Ilbo (in Korean), retrieved 26 February 2011
- Yonhap News, 26 October 2011, retrieved 30 October 2011
- ^ Cheongwadae 2007, President Roh Moo-hyun's Official Visit to the Qatar
- ^ CFR 1980, p. 28
- ^ Leach, Hannah Stuart (6 October 2011), "Competition high for 'flying girls'", Korea Herald, retrieved 30 April 2012
- ^ a b "Around 3,000 North Koreans in Qatar". The Peninsula Qatar. 13 September 2015. Archived from the original on 15 September 2015. Retrieved 13 September 2015.
- ^ "How's the Kimchi? Secret Lives of North Korean Workers Abroad", Radio Free Asia, 17 January 2007, retrieved 25 April 2007
- ^ a b NIIED 2007
- ^ a b Cheongwadae 2007, President Roh Moo-hyn's Official Visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- ^ Collins 2003, pp. 100–101
- ^ NIIED 2007, 젯다한국학교병설한글학교
- ^ MOFAT 2011, pp. 272–273
- ^ Home, Korean International School of Jeddah, retrieved 21 September 2015,
주소: P.O.BOX 4322, Jeddah 21491, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
- ^ Home. Riyadh Korean School. Retrieved on 21 September 2015.
- ^ "South Korea to open consulate in Dubai", Khaleej Times, 26 February 2008, retrieved 22 May 2009
- ^ "Korean Female Crew Capture Middle East", Chosun Ilbo, 4 May 2007, archived from the original on 10 May 2007, retrieved 4 May 2007
- ^ About us, The Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Dubai, archived from the original on 5 April 2010, retrieved 22 May 2009
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Sources
- Baker, Don (2006), "Islam Struggles for a Toehold in Korea", Harvard Asia Quarterly (4), archived from the original on 17 May 2007, retrieved 23 April 2007
- Bonacich, Edna; Light, Ivan (1991), Immigrant Entrepreneurs: Koreans in Los Angeles, 1965–1982, United States: University of California Press, pp. 105–106, ISBN 0-520-07656-7
- Collins, George Francis (2003), Goodbye Saudi Arabia, Trafford Publishing, ISBN 1-55395-277-4
- Halliday, Fred (May 1984), "Labor Migration in the Arab World", MERIP Reports (123): 3–30, JSTOR 3011279
- Kwon, Seung-ho; O'Donnell, Michael (2001), The Chaebol and Labour in Korea: The Development of Management Strategy in Hyundai, United Kingdom: Routledge, ISBN 0-415-22169-2
- MacKellar, F. Landis (1982), Native and foreign population and labor in Kuwait, Wharton Econometric Forecasting Associates
- Mohammed, Nadeya Sayed Ali (2003), Population and Development of the Arab Gulf States: The Case of Bahrain, Oman, and Kuwait, Ashgate Publishing, ISBN 0-7546-3220-2
- Park, Young-bum (1998), "The Republic of Korea: Trends and recent developments in international migration", Migration and Regional Economic Integration in Asia, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, pp. 121–132, ISBN 92-64-16039-6
- Seok, Hyunho; Yang, Jonghoe (1992), "Republic of Korea", in Gunatilleke, Godfrey (ed.), The impact of labour migration on households: a comparative study in seven Asian countries, Asian labour migration to the Arab world, vol. 3, United Nations University Press, pp. 106–138, ISBN 978-92-808-0794-3
- Seok, Hyunho (1991), "Korean migrant workers to the Middle East", in Gunatilleke, Godfrey (ed.), Migration to the Arab World: Experience of Returning Migrants, United Nations University Press, pp. 56–103, ISBN 978-92-808-0745-5
- Steers, Richard M. (1999), Made in Korea: Chung Ju Yung and the Rise of Hyundai, United Kingdom: Routledge, ISBN 0-415-92050-7
- FY 1981 Foreign Assistance Legislation: Hearings Before the Committee on Foreign Relations, United States: Congress/Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, 1980
Data tables and directories
- 재외동포현황 [Current Status of Overseas Compatriots], South Korea: Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, 2009, archived from the original on 23 October 2010, retrieved 21 May 2009
- 재외동포 본문(지역별 상세), Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, 15 July 2011, retrieved 25 February 2012
- Overseas Korean Educational Institutions, South Korea: National Institute for International Education Development, 1 March 2002, archived from the original on 30 September 2007, retrieved 22 May 2009
- "President Roh Moo-hyun: Summit Diplomacy", Cheongwadae: Office of the President, South Korea: Presidential Archives, 2007, retrieved 22 May 2009
External links
- 젯다한국학교 (Korean School in Jeddah)
- 쿠웨이트한글학교 (Kuwait Hangul School)
- 두바이 한인교회 (Dubai Korean Church)
- 카타르한인회 (Korean Association of Qatar)
- Gulf Korean Times newspaper