Edward loves Korea. He loves the food, people and genuine culture of Korea. He first came to Korea in 2006 to visit family, but liked it so much he came back the following year to study Korean and now, he is working at a top shipping company based in Seoul. However, as a foreigner, it has not been as easy as it should be to live in Korea -- this is mainly due to the cultural differences and communication barriers with people in certain circumstances. But he says he can understand the historical and social context of such differences and now has come to enjoy them, aside from any occasional nuisances. On the other hand, there are the specific instances where he simply cannot understand the logic and it makes him feel like he is and always will be a true foreigner after all.
One day Edward decided to apply for a credit card. This should have been very easy if he were in his hometown or if he were a Korean, considering his credit history, local bank history and job/visa status here in Seoul. Unfortunately it was neither. He entered the credit card company building and filled all the documents he was asked to. Everything seemed fine with his legal status and the financial information he gave -- they even called his company and verified everything. As the office closed for the day, Edward went home with their assurance that everything would go through successfully. The next day, they called him and told him that they could not process the application for his contract is not the kind they could accept. But he then assured them there was no problem and passed the phone to a co-worker to explain just in case his Korean was misunderstood. Sure enough, the co-worker explained everything they needed to hear and they hung up the phone after assuring there would be no problem.
The following day, they called again and said they could not proceed. Edward then realized something strange was going on. More excuses? He had his HR department call them and they spoke about it, but still no success. After some more attempts, Edward finally found the answer through the credit card company's manager, that was basically: “Sorry, but you are a foreigner.”
This type of treatment has happened to many others as well. Another foreign friend of mine from Europe complained that it is almost impossible to get a cell phone under his account. He said it would be easier for a 10-year old Korean to get a cell phone than a 25-year old foreigner. He ended up getting a pre-paid phone under his Korean friend’s account. But her 19-year old friend could not even get a pre-paid phone because she was a foreigner under "legal age".
According to a survey done by YMCA in 2009, 72% of those who have used some kind of local financial service answered they had difficulties using the service. Moreover, 24% of those who said they had difficulties added that it was because of the limited service given mostly in regards to their nationality. Worse than financial service, more than 90% foreigners complained that internet service is very hard for foreigners to use and even to sign up. Cyworld, for instance, asks foreigners either to enter their foreigner registration number with name or to send a copy of their passport and ID card. It sounds fairly simple and easy but in reality this almost never gets done. Durbek Aliyev, a student at Kyung Hee University said, "with Korean websites, some websites ask for an ID number in order to register for it, but foreigners' ID number don't work for it, while Koreans' do. It's basically discrimination, in terms of Human rights -- these are people with legal status in Korea." Another problem is that the site does not provide an English version so if a foreigner lacks in Korean he/she is helpless. Compared to Facebook (asking for one's email address only in order to sign up), Cyworld is too much work and too complicated. This is not a way to get Korea more globally friendly and welcomed into the international market.
Koreans’ behavior toward foreigners regarding their race is another problem. For many Koreans, the definition of “foreigner” is portrayed as tall, white skin, blue eyes with blonde hair. Any other foreigner who does not meet these criteria is called “alien” instead. Professor Liet Hau, an Asian-American teaching at Kyung Hee University testified that he has had lost his job at a language institute because the institute preferred Caucasian. Professors became more furious when he found out that the new Caucasian who took over his job did not even have a Bachelor’s degree. He added, “Koreans think that they do not act in that way, but they are doing it without noticing it.” Caucasian favoritism is obvious in Korea. We not only welcome them more but also treat them differently. Thomas Stanfill, an exchange student from U.S confessed "Caucasian favoritism is very obvious in Korea. I see that even though we work the same hours, I get paid more just because I am white. I do not think this is fair."
Korea is now a G-20 hosting country and it proves that Korea has become one of the most powerful and influential nations in the globe. However we need to ask ourselves first. Are we really ready? Are we ready to invite all the foreigners from all over the globe? Are we ready to welcome them as if Korea is their second home? Are we ready to accept the cultural differences that these foreigners might bring? Can a country who went from third-world poverty to top ten economy in less than 30 years handle the challenge of progressing their culture just as quickly? But when even simple, logical progressions continue to challenge us and frustrate foreigners (such as walking on the right, like all other countries who drive on the right, and after so many decades of being free of Japanese occupation), this gives cause for concern. Can't we do better?
We need to re-think about where true power comes from. What makes one nation influential is not its hard power but rather its soft power. It is more important to have gentleman-like behavior than gentleman-like outfits. But Korea, so far, has put more focus on the formal. It is better to give foreigners a good memory being in Korea than giving them a good gift made in Korea -- and this should start from right now.
My friend, Dave spent the last 20 years in Korea. He said “I can see that Korea has been improving a lot in various fields. I believe Korea is well qualified for G-20 and Korea should have higher hopes. I am happy to call Korea my second home.” I hope that many more foreigners can be happy to call Korea as their second home -- then, and only then, can we say we are ready.
** special thanks to Edward Vaught, Thomas Stanfill, Prof. Liet Hau, Durbek Aliyev and Dave.
