This study aims to recognize the importance of the Korean diaspora, as they are a valuable national asset. It also aims to find a way to encourage Korean language education for overseas Koreans who live in the three Central Asian countries; Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. Furthermore, it also provides strategic support for Korean language education so that they can develop their identity and pride as Koreans and eventually settle in the countries mentioned above successfully.
Among people of Korean origin born overseas who live worldwide as Korean diaspora, ethnic Koreans have the longest history of immigration and have lived difficult lives in the annals of world history. The three Central Asian countries of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan are home to more than 70 percent of ethnic Koreans. They also are emerging as new markets with their rich sources of energy and minerals, and have significant importance not only in economical and cultural terms, but also in terms of the human resource that these people represent. The ethnic Koreans who live as minority people in multi-ethnic and multi-cultural social environments should be provided with appropriate Korean language education, so that they develop their identity as Koreans and become a bridge to facilitate trade between Korea and their home countries. For this specific purpose, I conducted research, surveys, and interviews in order to analyze the history of Korean education among ethnic Koreans, and understand the current situation.
Based on my research, surveys and interviews, I could understand how much the ethnic Koreans collective identify themselves as Koreans, their ability to speak Korean language, and many aspects of their Korean education. I then used statistical analysis to process the results of my interviews, and compare them with the results published in “Survey of Korean Communal Consciousness After 50 Years of Korean Independence” by the Korean government in 1995. This process clearly illustrated the changes in the ethnic Koreans’s communal consciousness as Koreans. Further, I conducted in-depth analysis in to how the ethnic Koreans’s current education system, specifically their linguistic abilities, manifests itself in their behavior and lives.
Based on the results of my research, I concluded that among ethnic Koreans in the above-mentioned three Central Asian countries, the Korean communal consciousness has become shallow, idealistic, and symbolic rather than actual and practical. This is because of their 150 year immigrant history while being cut-off from their mother country of Korea. They have also lost their ethnic language and culture, and completely assimilated into Russian culture and language. They only speak Russian regardless of who they talk to or what environment they are in. I learned that ever since 1990, when Korea established diplomatic relations with these three countries, there has been a surge in interest about Korea. Specifically, the introduction of a work-visa program has provided an incentive for young people to learn the Korean language. Further, the current global interest in all things Korean, Hanryu, is also a factor in fueling more interest in the people of these three countries. Korean education in these countries, despite growing significantly in recent years, is beset with a number of problems. For example, they don’t have appropriate textbooks or dictionaries for learning, and they lack lecturers who have a good command of Korean language and culture. Further, they do not yet have a developed education curriculum.
Thus far, the main issues discussed are based on theoretical research and practical surveys of Koreans born and living in these three Central Asian countries. I have recommended specific education policies targeted towards the Korean diaspora, and discussed how to customize the education curriculum, textbooks, and teachers’ overseas training. To encourage and promote a dedicated education program, based on Korean language and cultural heritage, among the Korean diaspora, there needs to be systematic and strategic top-down support of this program. This needs to be coupled with an ongoing overall analysis of those who receive such education and the local environment in which this Korean education is imparted. The lessons learned from such an analysis should be continually applied to ameliorate the quality of the education program.
This research could be a basis for further study of Koreans born and living in other countries. To convert ethnic Koreans living overseas into our tangible human asset and to globalize Korean education, there needs to be harmony between the Korean government’s positive will in their policies and financial support and our professionalism and enthusiasm in the Korean education field.
I expect and hope that in this global era, a concerted research on Korean education policy aimed at ethnic Koreans will result in social progress for Korea on the global stage and improve the private lives of Koreans living overseas.
，韩语论文范文，韩语毕业论文 |
