By Jane Han
NEW YORK — Whenever people of Korean descent make it big overseas, the local media are usually quick to establish and promote connections to their Korean background.
But sometimes we wonder: Do they even consider themselves Korean? Thats the unfortunate part, Kim Kyung-keun, chairman of the Overseas Koreans Foundation (OKF), a non-profit organization for networking with Koreans abroad, said in an interview with The Korea Times.
Many second and third generation Koreans are different from their parents in that they have significantly less understanding of Korean language, culture and history.
The common thing among these people is that their initial connection with their mother country is weak from the start, said Kim. So naturally, they blend in with the culture they were raised in and lose their identity as a Korean.
By the time they grow curious about Korea, he added, language and cultural barriers make it difficult for them to learn about it easily. We need to find a way to bridge this gap because it will have an impact on our countrys future competitiveness, said Kim.
With second and third generation Koreans increasingly excelling in various fields abroad, many people are recognizing the importance of building a solid relationship with them.
Christopher Kang, senior counsel to U.S. President Barack Obama; U.S.
State Department Legal Advisor Harold Koh; Michigan State Senator Hoon-Yung Hopgood; actor Daniel Kim; actress Sandra Oh and violinist Sarah Chang are among some of the notable figures of Korean descent in the U.S.
Overseas Koreans are a significant part of the population that we cant afford to neglect, said Kim, stressing that the incoming Park Geun-hye administration must pay special attention to this growing group.
We need to have a good networking system and efficient policies that can provide realistic support to people who live outside Korea, he said.
Overseas Koreans vary greatly depending on their age, country of residence and background, but one thing they share in common is that they all want more attention and interest from their motherland, explained Kim.
Establishing a connection doesnt happen overnight, so Kim says it is crucial that relationship building starts at an early age.
A hangeul school is one major channel of language and cultural education that the OKF has continuously funded and supported worldwide.
Language familiarity is a stepping stone for second and third generation Koreans to learn more about Korea, said Kim, who previously served as the consul general in New York and the ambassador to Jordan.
Some 2,000 Hangeul schools are being independently run abroad, but Kim plans to provide government funding for these schools this year so that students can receive a more comprehensive education.
Regional forums and conferences will also be expanded so that people can meet and network face to face.
There are currently more than 7 million Koreans living abroad, said Kim. We cant have just one system that fits all so we need to have the flexibility to meet the needs of people in different circumstances.
Reaching out is important, but improving local Koreans perception of overseas Koreans is also a task that should not be ignored.
We cant expect to form a relationship without a mutual understanding of each other, said Kim, adding that the young generation in Korea must be educated about the history of Koreans abroad and their unique characteristics.
In the past, we often thought that people had to choose one ethnic identity over the other, said Kim.
But times have changed and now Koreans spread out around the world are meshing deeply into the society they live in, while finding their roots at the same time.
The Park administrations job is to facilitate interaction among Koreans and utilize this increasingly competitive group of people to the countrys advantage, he said.
We need to have a symbiotic relationship where the two groups are proud of one another, said Kim.
That what you call a true win-win.
 |
| Kim Kyung-keun |
But sometimes we wonder: Do they even consider themselves Korean? Thats the unfortunate part, Kim Kyung-keun, chairman of the Overseas Koreans Foundation (OKF), a non-profit organization for networking with Koreans abroad, said in an interview with The Korea Times.
Many second and third generation Koreans are different from their parents in that they have significantly less understanding of Korean language, culture and history.
The common thing among these people is that their initial connection with their mother country is weak from the start, said Kim. So naturally, they blend in with the culture they were raised in and lose their identity as a Korean.
By the time they grow curious about Korea, he added, language and cultural barriers make it difficult for them to learn about it easily. We need to find a way to bridge this gap because it will have an impact on our countrys future competitiveness, said Kim.
With second and third generation Koreans increasingly excelling in various fields abroad, many people are recognizing the importance of building a solid relationship with them.
Christopher Kang, senior counsel to U.S. President Barack Obama; U.S.
State Department Legal Advisor Harold Koh; Michigan State Senator Hoon-Yung Hopgood; actor Daniel Kim; actress Sandra Oh and violinist Sarah Chang are among some of the notable figures of Korean descent in the U.S.
Overseas Koreans are a significant part of the population that we cant afford to neglect, said Kim, stressing that the incoming Park Geun-hye administration must pay special attention to this growing group.
We need to have a good networking system and efficient policies that can provide realistic support to people who live outside Korea, he said.
Overseas Koreans vary greatly depending on their age, country of residence and background, but one thing they share in common is that they all want more attention and interest from their motherland, explained Kim.
Establishing a connection doesnt happen overnight, so Kim says it is crucial that relationship building starts at an early age.
A hangeul school is one major channel of language and cultural education that the OKF has continuously funded and supported worldwide.
Language familiarity is a stepping stone for second and third generation Koreans to learn more about Korea, said Kim, who previously served as the consul general in New York and the ambassador to Jordan.
Some 2,000 Hangeul schools are being independently run abroad, but Kim plans to provide government funding for these schools this year so that students can receive a more comprehensive education.
Regional forums and conferences will also be expanded so that people can meet and network face to face.
There are currently more than 7 million Koreans living abroad, said Kim. We cant have just one system that fits all so we need to have the flexibility to meet the needs of people in different circumstances.
Reaching out is important, but improving local Koreans perception of overseas Koreans is also a task that should not be ignored.
We cant expect to form a relationship without a mutual understanding of each other, said Kim, adding that the young generation in Korea must be educated about the history of Koreans abroad and their unique characteristics.
In the past, we often thought that people had to choose one ethnic identity over the other, said Kim.
But times have changed and now Koreans spread out around the world are meshing deeply into the society they live in, while finding their roots at the same time.
The Park administrations job is to facilitate interaction among Koreans and utilize this increasingly competitive group of people to the countrys advantage, he said.
We need to have a symbiotic relationship where the two groups are proud of one another, said Kim.
That what you call a true win-win.
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