NHRC and Sungkonghoe University Carry Out Survey and In-Depth Interviews to Assess the Current Human Rights Situation of Diasporic Chinese Residing in Korea
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), as part of a larger series of studies on the actual human rights situation in different sectors in 2003, concluded a study on the human rights situation of diasporic Chinese settled in Korea. The study was carried out in coordination with Sungkonghoe University (primary researcher: Kyeong-Tae Park, Social Sciences Professor) from May to July 2003.
The study focused on: (1) analysis of the current policies and legislative and institutional machinery affecting minorities of non-Korean origin; (2) the history of the Chinese diaspora as well as the overall situation of diasporic Chinese settled in Korea; and (3) the discrimination currently faced by diasporic Chinese in the Korean public and private sectors. The research team carried out a survey of 693 diasporic Chinese in Korea and in-depth interviews of 22 members of the Korean diasporic Chinese community. The main findings are as below.
1. Discrimination in Employment
77% of 693 diasporic Chinese residing in Korea responded that they had felt discriminated against in the hiring stage and 79% felt that they had severe discrimination working against them when it came to promotion. Additionally, 35% responded that they had experienced disadvantage in hiring or promotion for the reason that they, or a member of their family, was a diasporic Chinese.
2. Discrimination in the use of public and private services
50% responded that they had felt serious discrimination at the District Office, “Dong Office” or other governmental agencies, 58% at banks and other financial institutions, 79% when seeking cell-phone, internet services or other commercial services. Regarding this, respondents pointed out: “Because the internet resident registration confirmation system—used at the stage where the service confirms the client’s real name—does not recognize alien registration numbers, we are denied the use of commercial services for not having confirmable ‘real names’; those procedures are complicated and fussy [for those with alien registration numbers].” Otherwise, another issue that came up in the in-depth interviews was: “because there are so many documents required of diasporic Chinese who have permanent residence in Korea for even applying for a credit card, I just gave up.”
3. Discrimination in Education
46% of diasporic Chinese felt that there was discrimination against them in primary, middle and high school, and 56% responded that they were discriminated against when they apply for entrance to university. For those who did enter university, when both parents of the student were diasporic Chinese, it was possible for the student to apply for school under procedures for accepting foreign students. However, students who have a diasporic Chinese father and a Korean mother and elected to adopt Korean nationality to reduce the daily inconveniences caused by having a foreign nationality could not apply under those procedures even if they had been educated at a school for diasporic Chinese. One respondent pointed out the clear discrimination in this saying, “If the Korean mother passed away or got divorced, only then would the school recognize the child as a foreign student and allow the student to apply under the special procedures for accepting foreign students.”
Human Rights Situation: Subjective Aspects
When asked the question, “Do you agree with the view that Koreans have prejudice against diasporic Chinese?” 45.5% (305 persons) responded that they did agree. The in-depth interviews supported this perception; one interviewee explained, “In the case of bank transactions, although it is possible for a permanent resident who is not a native of Korea to carry out the same transactions as a native, it is rare to find bank tellers who actually know of such legal provisions guaranteeing equality; thus, as far as I know, it is almost impossible to get a bank loan.”
