Self-development key to success
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Lee Ra, member of the Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly
By Park Si-soo
YONGIN, Gyeonggi Province ㅡ While Jasmine Lee has become the most prominent foreign-born politician in Korea, Lee Ra is also gaining attention as a member of the Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly.
Lee Ra, 37, is a naturalized Korean who emigrated from Mongolia and was elected to her current post in June 2010 as a representative of the Saenuri Party. Lee sees her role as a “beacon of hope” for some 280,000 immigrants, mainly women, who have married Koreans. She believes that education is crucial in leading immigrants into the mainstream of society.
Lee came to Korea in 2003 after marrying her husband, a tour agency operator. She studied computer graphic design at Shingu College in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, from 2009 to 2011, and social welfare at Kangnam University from 2011 to early this year. She is currently studying at Yonsei University’s Graduate School of Public Administration.
She says that she would never have been elected to her provincial assembly seat if she had not attended university in Korea given society’s emphasis on education.
Receiving a good education means a greater likelihood of landing a decent job, Lee said. But she added that a university degree from a country less developed than Korea doesn’t cut much ice here.
That represents a significant handicap. More than 90 percent of immigrants come from developing countries, while only 20 percent have some form of higher education, mostly in their native countries, according to the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family.
In this regard, the government should also pay more attention in educating immigrants so that more of them can work in the public and private sectors to promote the interests of immigrants.
“I’ve attended numerous policy meetings or forums on issues related to immigration or multiculturalism, and met with countless experts. Sadly enough, speakers at the events were all native Koreans. I’ve found no expert speaking based on first-hand experience,” Lee said.
“One of the preconditions in joining the mainstream of society is to have the ability to address one’s own problem by oneself. But that’s not the case for immigrants because of the absence of recognized experts with first-hand experience.
“This absence is understandable, considering that a great portion of immigrants, mostly women, have been in Korea for 10 or less years and most of them have spent most of their time taking care of their families,” Lee said. “But it doesn’t necessary mean they don’t have the need for self-development through systematic education programs.”
Lee said she doesn’t regard herself necessarily as successful. “I don’t think my election has brought about a fundamental change in my life. If I fail (to win re-election) next year, everything is over. So it’s still too early to say my life has been successful,” Lee said.
“Winning an elected seat doesn’t necessarily mean being successful in life. I think that description should be reserved for those who are recognized as experts by having extensive knowledge or experiences on specific issues. I’ve tried to become a recognized expert on immigration issues, but honestly speaking there is still a long way to go.”
Citing her own definition of success, she said the somewhat grim reality is that there is no immigrant in Korea whose life can be considered completely successful. And perhaps that’s one of the reasons why immigrants are still classified as a minority that suffers discrimination.