Constructing Joseonjok as Foreign Labor in Korea

• Main Authors: SatByul Lee, 李雪碧
• Other Authors: 曾嬿芬
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2006
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/18466162758826790721

碩士 === 國立臺灣大學 === 社會學研究所 === 94 === Korea has maintained to be one of the most ethnically homogeneous countries. Once looked strong and clearly defined nationhood of Korea seems vague when we look at Joseonjok, Korean Chinese who return and work as low-skilled migrant labor in Korea. Economic development of South Korea and its changing diplomacy with China in the late 1980’s has opened a door for Joseonjok to return, but when they came back, they are positioned among “foreign workers.” This paper starts with unraveling this puzzling status of Joseonjok, how overseas Korean returnee has become “foreign worker.” Through the examination of policies affecting Joseonjok, this paper argues that Joseonjok’s return has posed the Korean state the question of nationhood and many latent questions from the globalizing era. Reflecting its changing goals and interests of the nation, the Korean state has excluded Joseonjok from the circle of overseas residence (denizen), but incorporate them in the migrant labor market by preferring them over other foreign workers. This case of Joseonjok in Korea demonstrates how a relatively new modern state deals with both old (citizenship, nationhood) and new (globalization, immigration) issues through the control of economic and social rights.