In Korea, double standards on racism
Welcome, First Time in Korea? is a popular South Korean reality TV show featuring foreigners living in Seoul who invite friends from their homelands to visit the country. Viewers can see how foreigners enjoy their visit, learning traditional cultures and the history of the country.
On the TV show, some foreign visitors are impressed with the kindness of locals. Some may think that Koreans are kind to all foreigners. But a recent report from the National Human Rights Commission suggests that in fact many Koreans are racially abusive to foreigners, rather than treating them kindly.
The commission issued the report last week after investigating racism issues in South Korean society based on interviews of migrants living in the country. A total of 68.4% of respondents said racism is pervasive in Korea. Many reported having been verbally or physically abused. [ ... ]
[...] A survey conducted by Hankook Research, a public opinion agency in Seoul, found that only 26% of Koreans were aware of the war in Yemen. The survey also suggested that young people are more hostile to Yemenis, assuming that all refugees are illegal migrant workers. After some Koreans distributed groundless rumors to justify anti-Yemeni sentiment, more than 700,000 people signed a petition on the Blue House website calling for their expulsion.
Korean media often report violence against migrant workers, mainly from developing countries. In many cases, the perpetrators are the victims’ employers or managers, an indication that often migrant workers are put at the mercy of exploitative Korean employers. [ ... ]
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