Mongolians in South Korea

Ethnic group
|group=Mongolians in South Korea
poptime=20,000-30,000
popplace=Seoul
langs=Mongolian, Korean
rels=Not known

Mongolians in South Korea form one of the world's largest populations of emigrants from Mongolia. South Korea's estimated Mongolian population of 20,000-30,000 is larger than the combined total of Mongolian Americans, Mongolians in Japan, and Mongolians in Europe. 70% are believed to be residing in the country illegally. [cite news|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2003/10/13/2003071505|publisher=Taipei Times|date=2003-10-13|accessdate=2007-08-17|title=Mongolians, Koreans share ancient bonds] cite news|publisher=The Chosun Ilbo|date=2003-10-10|accessdate=2007-08-17|url=http://www.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200310/200310100225.html|title=도심속의 "몽골 타워" (The "Mongol Tower" in the heart of the city)|last=Chae|first=Seong-jin] The government of South Korea estimates that one out of every two urban households in Mongolia have a family member working in South Korea. [cite news|publisher=Office of the President, Republic of Korea|url=http://english.president.go.kr/cwd/en/archive/archive_view.php?meta_id=en_dip_2006&category=164&id=923b8c655856408486c7764f|date=2006-05-05|accessdate=2007-08-17|title=Today in Mongolia: Everyone can speak a few words of Korean|last=Han|first=Jae-hyuck] The growth of the population has been so rapid that the Mongolian embassy in Seoul is largely unable to provide assistance to Mongolian residents; as a result, Mongolians have set up their own non-governmental organisations to provide mutual assistance.cite news|url=http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200503/200503290013.html|date=2005-03-29|accessdate=2007-09-05|publisher=The Chosun Ilbo|title=Sea Breeze Helps Korea's Mongolians Speak with One Voice] Most Mongolians in South Korea are migrant workers employed in heavy industry. [cite news|url=http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/include/print.asp?newsIdx=5055|publisher=Korea Times|last=Phillips|first=Simon|title=A Mongolian Migrant Worker's Story|date=2007-06-19|accessdate=2007-08-17] Some also run restaurants, trading companies, and grocery stores in Seoul, especially in the so-called "Central Asia Village" in Jung-gu's Gwanghui-dong, near Dongdaemun. [cite news|url=http://shc.seoul.go.kr/page/?section=hotline/view&brd_cd=N651&page=1&seq_no=2890|publisher=Seoul Metropolitan Government|title=No melting pot, but Seoul still flavored with several dashes of migrant communities|date=2006-12-19|accessdate=2007-08-17] cite news|url=http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200704/200704050010.html|publisher=The Chosun Ilbo|date=2007-04-05|accessdate=2007-08-17|title=A Little Corner of Overseas in Seoul] [cite news|title=The Silk Road Leads to Seoul: Dongdaemun's Central Asia Village and Namyangju's Mongolian Cultural Village|date=2006-04-19|accessdate=2007-08-17|last=Koehler|first=Robert|url=http://english.seoul.go.kr/today/infocus/specialreport/1232133_5093.php|publisher=Seoul Magazine]

Mongolians seeking to migrate to South Korea for work are required by South Korea's Ministry of Labour to obtain a score of at least 120 on the Korean Language Proficiency Test in order to receive permission to work in all industries; however, the required score for working in agriculture, fishing, and construction is lower. Demand to take the test is extremely high; for the 2007 sitting, some candidates queued for four days in chaotic conditions outside Ulan Bator's Central Stadium in May to register. A total of 14,929 candidates (9,892 men and 5,037 women) signed up for the test that year, of whom 14,606 actually sat for it; 44% (6,487) scored higher than 120 points, while 91% met the minimum mark for agriculture, fishing, and construction. [cite news|url=http://ubpost.mongolnews.mn/content/view/305/36/|last=Sh.|first=Batmonkh|date=2007-06-27|accessdate=2007-08-17|title=13,000 Qualify to Enter Korea|publisher=UB Post] [cite news|url=http://www.mongolmessenger.mn/issue/070522.php?vitab=2&vtab=100|title=Chaos reigns in registration process|publisher=The Mongol Messenger|date=2007-05-22|accessdate=2007-08-17]

Mongolians living in South Korea cite the age-based hierarchy of the Korean social structure as a major cultural difference with their homeland and a significant barrier to adaptation, noting that in Mongolia, people with age differences of five years still speak to one another as equals, but in Korea, they are obligated to use honorific forms of speech to address people even one year older than them. Others assert that Koreans are more polite to Westerners than to other Asians.

ee also

*Mongol invasions of Korea

References

External links

* [http://www.cmox.org Mongolian Student Association in Korea]