Koreans in Vietnam

Last updated
Koreans in Vietnam
Total population
290,000 (2011) [1]
Regions with significant populations
Ho Chi Minh City 190,000 [1]
Đồng Nai Province 15,000 [1]
Bình Dương Province 15,000 [1]
Hanoi 70,000 [1]
Related ethnic groups
Korean diaspora

Koreans in Vietnam form an unrecognized minority group in Vietnam.

Contents

The group is made up predominantly of ethnic Korean expatriates who immigrated to Vietnam and ethnic Kinh people (Vietnamese) people with Korean citizenship. A number of Koreans initially arrived in Vietnam in a military capacity, fighting on both sides of the Vietnam War, depending on their political affiliations. After the end of the war, there was little Korean migration or tourism in Vietnam, until the rapid development of the South Korean economy and the North Korean famine resulted in an influx of South Korean investors and North Korean defectors. A sizeable number of South Korean men settled in the country for marital reasons. Reportedly, Vietnamese women experience high levels of domestic violence and abuse due to the difficulties of intercultural marriage. [2] [3] [4]

As of 2011, according to statistics of South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, there were 1800,000 Korean citizens in Vietnam, making them the largest Korean diaspora community in Southeast Asia and the eighth-largest in the world. [1] A more recent estimate from Vietnam Television put their number at 130,000. [5] Vietnam and Korea maintained political relations in the past via the Lý dynasty of Vietnam fleeing to Korea through Taiwan. Lý Long Tường/Lee Yong Sang is one such notable figure.

World War II

During World War II Japanese soldiers took Korean women with them as comfort women, after the war a number of Korean women were left behind in Vietnam. [6]

Vietnam War

The areas of responsibility of the South Korean army in Vietnam as of December 1966 ROKArmyVietnamWarMap.jpg
The areas of responsibility of the South Korean army in Vietnam as of December 1966

Both North and South Korea lent material and manpower support to their respective ideological allies during the Vietnam War, though the number of South Korean troops on the ground was larger. [7] Then-South Korean president Syngman Rhee had offered to send troops to Vietnam as early as 1954, but his proposal was turned down by the U.S. Department of State; the first South Korean personnel to land in Vietnam, 10 years later, were non-combatants: ten Taekwondo instructors, along with thirty-four officers and ninety-six enlisted men of a Korean Army hospital unit. [8] In total, between 1965 and 1973, 312,853 South Korean soldiers fought in Vietnam; According to Korean sources, they killed 41,400 North Vietnamese Army soldiers and 5,000 civilians. [7] There were cases of war atrocities in which those that were revealed during the war were promptly investigated with the perpetrators punished. [9] Others indicate that they were routinely unpunished, with widespread "My Lai Massacre-style massacres" having taken place. [10] Controversy still remains as there are more alleged crimes that may not have been revealed. There were also thousands of children of mixed Korean and Vietnamese descent. [11] Korean Presidents have repeatedly apologised and expressed regret on the issue, [12] and South Korean civil groups and individuals have taken a pro-active effort in reconciliation, yet there is no compensation happened. [13]

As a result of a decision of the Korean Workers' Party in October 1966, in early 1967 North Korea sent a fighter squadron to North Vietnam to back up the North Vietnamese 921st and 923rd fighter squadrons defending Hanoi. They stayed through 1968; 200 pilots were reported to have served. [9] In addition, at least two anti-aircraft artillery regiments were sent as well. [14]

Post-war migration

South Koreans

Four years after the 1992 normalisation of diplomatic ties, South Korean trade and investment in Vietnam grew rapidly. [3] [15] Following along with the investment funds, the South Korean expatriate community in Vietnam has grown significantly. According to Chang Keun Lee of the Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Vietnam, Koreans formed the country's second-largest group of expatriates, with only the Taiwanese expatriate community being larger; he estimated that half lived in Ho Chi Minh City. [15] Statistics from South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade show that their population has grown by nearly fifty times in little more than a decade. Their population more than trebled from 1,788 in 1997 to 6,226 in 2003, then jumped to more than thirteen times that size—84,566—by just six years later. However, in the two years after that, the population would only grow by a further 4% to 88,120. [16] [1] Some anti-Korean sentiment also exists, fueled by decreases in promised investment, reports of poor treatment faced by Vietnamese migrants in South Korea, and the 2008 murder of a Hanoi National University student by her South Korean boyfriend. [17] As both countries also share similar cultures (both belonged to the Chinese cultural sphere) and share similar recent histories, South Korean investors soon took a strong interest in investing in Vietnam. [18] [19]

South Koreans have established a number of community organisations in Vietnam, including Koviet, a group for second-generation Korean youth raised in Vietnam, founded in 1995 [20]

North Koreans

North Korean defectors often pass through Vietnam on their way to South Korea. North Korean defector routes map.png
North Korean defectors often pass through Vietnam on their way to South Korea.

Before 2004, thousands of North Korean defectors had crossed Vietnam's northern border to find the way to reach South Korea. Until 2004, Vietnam was described as the "preferred Southeast Asian escape route" for North Korean defectors, largely due to its less-mountainous terrain. Though Vietnam remains an officially communist country and maintains diplomatic relations with North Korea, growing South Korean investment in Vietnam has prompted Hanoi to quietly permit the transit of North Korean refugees to Seoul. The increased South Korean presence in the country also proved a magnet for defectors; four of the biggest defector safehouses in Vietnam were run by South Korean expatriates, and many defectors indicated that they chose to try to cross the border from China into Vietnam precisely because they had heard about such safehouses. [4] In July 2004, 468 North Korean refugees were airlifted to South Korea in the single largest mass defection; Vietnam initially tried to keep their role in the airlift secret, and in advance of the deal, even anonymous sources in the South Korean government would only tell reporters that the defectors came from "an unidentified Asian country". [21] Following the airlift, Vietnam would tighten up border controls and deport several safe-house operators. [4]

Education

Vietnam's first school for South Korean nationals, the weekend Hanoi Hangul School, was founded on 1 March 1996, enrolling 122 students at the kindergarten through middle school levels; two Korean international schools offering a full-day programme were also later established, the Korean International School, HCMC in Ho Chi Minh City (founded 4 August 1998, enrolling 745 students at the kindergarten through high school levels); and Hanoi Korean International School  [ ko ], a smaller school in Hanoi (founded 13 July 2006, with 63 elementary-level students). [22] [23] [24] Prior to the opening of the Korean international school in Hanoi, most Korean families in Hanoi sent their children to local schools, as the other international schools were too expensive. [25] [26]

International marriage

South Korean men started seeking wives in Vietnam. [15] Two to three thousand South Korean marriage agencies were created which specialize in making such matches. Though in the 1990s most were farmers, an increasing number of urban men have also resorted to arranging marriages through international matchmaking agencies; they cite the difficulty faced by uneducated men or those with low incomes in attracting Vietnamese women to marry them. [27] However, reports suggest high rates of domestic violence, abuse, and divorce. [2]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transport in Vietnam</span> Overview of the transport in Vietnam

Transportation in Vietnam is improving rapidly in terms of both quantity and quality. Road traffic is growing rapidly but the major roads are dangerous and slow to travel on due to outdated design and an inappropriate traffic mix. In recent years, the construction of expressways has accelerated. Air travel is also important for long distance travel. Metro systems are under construction in the two metropolises of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ho Chi Minh City</span> Municipality in Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh City, commonly known as Saigon, is the most populous city in Vietnam, with a population of around 9.3 million in 2023. The city's geography is defined by rivers and canals, the largest of which is the eponymously-named Saigon River. As a municipality, Ho Chi Minh City consists of 16 urban districts, six rural districts, and one municipal city. As the largest financial centre in Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City has the highest gross regional domestic product out of all Vietnam provinces and municipalities, contributing around a quarter of the country's total GDP. Ho Chi Minh City's metropolitan area is ASEAN's 6th largest economy, also the biggest outside an ASEAN country capital.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ho Chi Minh</span> Vietnamese communist leader (1890–1969)

Hồ Chí Minh, colloquially known as Uncle Ho or just Uncle (Bác), and by other aliases and sobriquets, was a Vietnamese communist revolutionary, nationalist, and politician. He served as prime minister of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam from 1945 to 1955 and as president from 1945 until his death, in 1969. Ideologically a Marxist–Leninist, he was the Chairman and First Secretary of the Workers' Party of Vietnam, the predecessor of the current Communist Party of Vietnam.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">First Indochina War</span> 1946–1954 French colonial war in Vietnam

The First Indochina War was fought between France and Việt Minh, and their respective allies, from 19 December 1946 until 20 July 1954. Việt Minh was led by Võ Nguyên Giáp and Hồ Chí Minh. Most of the fighting took place in Tonkin in Northern Vietnam, although the conflict engulfed the entire country and also extended into the neighboring French Indochina protectorates of Laos and Cambodia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Overseas Vietnamese</span> Diaspora community of Việt people

Overseas Vietnamese refers to Vietnamese people who live outside Vietnam. There are approximately 5 million overseas Vietnamese, the largest community of whom live in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cinema of Vietnam</span>

The cinema of Vietnam originates in the 1920s and was largely influenced by wars that have been fought in the country from the 1940s to the 1970s.

Association football in Vietnam is run by the Vietnam Football Federation. The federation administers the Vietnamese Men's and Women's national football teams. It is also responsible for the national football leagues, including the V. League 1, which is the top tier of professional football in Vietnam.

Vietnamese people in Korea, also known as Vietnamese Koreans, have a history dating back to the 12th century. After the division of Korea and the Korean War, ethnic Vietnamese had various contacts with both North and South Korea. They are Vietnamese expatriates in Korean peninsular or Korean born-citizens were born of partially or full Vietnamese descent. In the latter, Vietnamese are the second-largest group of foreigners, after Chinese migrants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">India–Vietnam relations</span> Bilateral relations

India–Vietnam relations, also knows as Indian-Vietnamese relations, are the bilateral relations of India and Vietnam.

The North–South express railway is a proposed high speed railway in Vietnam. The line would begin in Lạng Sơn and end in Cà Mau, connecting the two most urbanised areas in the country: Hanoi in the North's Red River Delta in and Ho Chi Minh City in the South's Mekong River Delta. The total proposed length would be 2,070 kilometres (1,290 mi).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Vietnam</span> Former country in Southeast Asia that existed from 1945 to 1976

North Vietnam, officially the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, was a socialist state in Southeast Asia that existed from 1945 to 1976, with formal sovereignty being fully recognized in 1954. A member of the Eastern Bloc, it opposed the French-backed State of Vietnam and later the Western-allied Republic of Vietnam. North Vietnam emerged victorious over South Vietnam in 1975 and ceased to exist the following year when it unified with the south to become the current Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rail transport in Vietnam</span> Overview of rail transport in Vietnam

The railway system in Vietnam is owned and operated by the state-owned Vietnam Railways. The principal route, the single track North-South Railway running between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, accounts for 1,726 kilometres (1,072 mi) of the network's total length of 2,600 kilometres (1,600 mi). The national railway network uses mainly metre gauge, although there are several standard gauge and mixed gauge lines in the north of the country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North–South railway (Vietnam)</span> Trunk railway line in Vietnam

The North–South railway is the principal railway line serving the country of Vietnam. It is a single-track metre gauge line connecting the capital Hanoi in the north to Ho Chi Minh City in the south, for a total length of 1,726 km (1,072 mi). Trains travelling this line are sometimes referred to as the Reunification Express, although no particular train carries this name officially. The line was established during French colonial rule, and was completed over a period of nearly forty years, from 1899 to 1936. As of 2005, 191 of Vietnam's 278 railway stations were located along the North–South line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sport in Vietnam</span>

This article presents an overview of the Sports in Vietnam.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Japanese people in Vietnam</span>

The community of Japanese expatriates and descendants in Vietnam consist mainly of Japanese expatriates and migrants residing in Vietnam, as well as their descendants who identify their ancestry to be Japanese. As of 2016, there are about 16,145 Japanese residents in Vietnam, mostly around Hanoi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taiwan–Vietnam relations</span> Bilateral relations

Taiwan–Vietnam relations are conducted on an unofficial level, as Hanoi adheres to a one-China policy and officially recognises the People's Republic of China only. However, this has not stopped bilateral visits, immigration and investment capital between Taiwan and Vietnam. Taiwan has been the fourth largest source of foreign direct investment in Vietnam since 2006. Both countries maintain representative offices; Taiwan is represented by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigón), while Vietnam is represented by the Vietnam Economic and Cultural Office in Taipei, both acting as de facto embassies. Vietnam is, to date, the only communist state to have informal relations with Taiwan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phan Kế An</span>

Phan Kế An, also known under the pseudonym Phan Kích, was a Vietnamese painter and renowned lacquer artist. He was the son of Phan Kế Toại (1892–1973) who was the personal envoy to Tonkin of the last Emperor of Vietnam, Bảo Đại, the Minister of Home Affairs (1945-1955) and former deputy prime minister of North Vietnam from 1955-1973.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">French Indochina in World War II</span> Events in French Indochina during World War II

In mid-1940, Nazi Germany rapidly defeated the French Third Republic, and the colonial administration of French Indochina passed to the French State. Many concessions were granted to the Empire of Japan, such as the use of ports, airfields, and railroads. Japanese troops first entered parts of Indochina in September 1940, and by July 1941 Japan had extended its control over the whole of French Indochina. The United States, concerned by Japanese expansion, started putting embargoes on exports of steel and oil to Japan from July 1940. The desire to escape these embargoes and to become self-sufficient in resources ultimately contributed to Japan's decision to attack on December 7, 1941, the British Empire and simultaneously the USA. This led to the USA declaring war against Japan on December 8, 1941. The US then joined the side of the British Empire, at war with Germany since 1939, and its existing allies in the fight against the Axis powers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Korea–Vietnam relations</span> Bilateral relations

North Korea–Vietnam relations is a bilateral relationship between Vietnam and North Korea. North Korea and the former country North Vietnam established formal diplomatic relations on January 31, 1950. In July 1957, North Vietnam President Ho Chi Minh visited North Korea; North Korean prime minister Kim Il Sung visited North Vietnam in November–December 1958 and November 1964. In February 1961, the two governments concluded an agreement on scientific and technical cooperation. North Vietnam merged with South Vietnam in 1976 to become the modern country of Vietnam.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 재외동포 본문(지역별 상세), Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, 2011-07-15, p. 76, archived from the original on 2012-05-26, retrieved 2012-02-25
  2. 1 2 Lamb, Kate (2019-10-11). "South Korea bans men with history of abuse from marrying foreign women". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 2020-05-31.
  3. 1 2 Balfour, Frederik (1996-09-16), "Vietnam a Strategic Choice", International Herald Tribune, archived from the original on 2007-06-14, retrieved 2007-03-27
  4. 1 2 3 Perilous Journeys; The Plight of North Koreans in China and Beyond (PDF), The Nautilus Institute, 2006-10-26, archived from the original (PDF) on September 27, 2007, retrieved 2007-03-27
  5. ↑ "Việt Nam: Tâm điểm hợp tác của Hàn Quốc hướng ra châu Á", Vietnam Television, 2012-12-23, retrieved 2013-06-24
  6. ↑ Soh, C. Sarah (2020). The Comfort Women: Sexual Violence and Postcolonial Memory in Korea and Japan. Worlds of Desire: The Chicago Series on Sexuality, Gender, and Culture. University of Chicago Press. p. 159, 279. ISBN   978-0226768045.
  7. 1 2 Ku, Su-Jeong (1999-09-02), "The secret tragedy of Vietnam", The Hankyoreh, retrieved 2007-03-27
  8. ↑ Larsen, Stanley Robert; Collins, James Lawton Jr. (1985) [1975], Vietnam Studies: Allied Participation in Vietnam, Washington, D.C.: United States Army Center of Military History, CMH Pub 90-5, archived from the original on 2013-01-27, retrieved 2007-03-27
  9. 1 2 Bennett, Richard (August 18, 2006). "Missiles and madness". Asia Times . Retrieved October 17, 2017.
  10. ↑ Griffiths, James. "The 'forgotten' My Lai: South Korea's Vietnam War massacres". CNN. Retrieved 2018-05-27.
  11. ↑ Kagan, Richard C. (October 2000), "Disarming Memories: Japanese, Korean, and American Literature on the Vietnam War", Critical Asian Studies, 32 (4), archived from the original on 2008-12-01, retrieved 2008-12-02
  12. ↑ "Moon's apology ignored in Vietnam". The Korea Times. 2017-11-15. Retrieved 2018-05-27.
  13. ↑ "[News analysis] South Korea coming to confront Vietnam War civilian massacres". The Hankyoreh . Retrieved 2018-05-27.
  14. ↑ Pribbenow, Merle (2003), "The 'Ology War: technology and ideology in the Vietnamese defense of Hanoi, 1967", Journal of Military History, 67 (1): 183, doi: 10.1353/jmh.2003.0066
  15. 1 2 3 Kelly, Tim (2006-09-18), "Ho Chi Minh Money Trail", Forbes, archived from the original on 2018-02-16, retrieved 2007-03-27
  16. ↑ 재외동포현황 - 아시아 [Status of overseas compatriots - Asia] (in Korean), Overseas Korean Foundation, 2005, archived from the original on 2006-02-12, retrieved 2008-09-10
  17. ↑ Kim, Tae-jong (2008-10-09), "Korean Nabbed for Killing Vietnamese Girlfriend", Korea Times, retrieved 2010-01-24
  18. ↑ "Rich South Koreans prefer Vietnam for overseas real estate investments - VnExpress International". e.vnexpress.net. Archived from the original on 2019-10-03.
  19. ↑ "South Korean investment in Vietnam grows amid U.S.-China trade war". Nikkei Asian Review. Retrieved 2020-05-31.
  20. ↑ 베트남 한인2세 후원단체 KOVIET 3주년 기념행사, Munhwa Ilbo (in Korean), 1998-07-16, retrieved 2010-01-24
  21. ↑ "Hundreds of North Koreans to enter South, reports say", Associated Press, 2004-07-23, retrieved 2007-03-27
  22. ↑ "Overseas Korean Educational Institutions: 하노이한글학교". National Institute for International Education Development, Republic of Korea. 2007. Archived from the original on May 31, 2004. Retrieved 2007-05-15.
  23. ↑ "호치민시한국학교", Overseas Korean Educational Institutions, Republic of Korea: National Institute for International Education Development, 2007, archived from the original on October 2, 2006, retrieved 2007-05-15
  24. ↑ "하노이한국학교", Overseas Korean Educational Institutions, Republic of Korea: National Institute for International Education Development, 2007, archived from the original on 2007-09-30, retrieved 2007-05-15
  25. ↑ Korean elementary school set up in Hanoi, Korea.net, 2006-07-08, retrieved 2010-01-24[ dead link ]
  26. ↑ "Korean primary school opens in Hanoi", Vietnamnet Bridge, 2006-10-22, archived from the original on 2008-02-20, retrieved 2010-01-24
  27. ↑ Onishi, Norimitsu (2007-02-21), "Marriage brokers in Vietnam cater to S. Korean bachelors", International Herald Tribune, retrieved 2007-03-27
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.