History of Koreans in Australia Chronicled
By Kim Se-jeong
Staff Reporter
The history of half a century of Korean immigrants in Australia has been condensed into a book.
A Korean immigrants' community in Australia Tuesday unveiled a book, "50 Year History of Koreans in Australia," at the Australian Embassy in Seoul.
The book, with 572 pages and 450 photos, illustrates the initial exchanges between Australians and Koreans to the lives of recent immigrants.
Korea's first contact with Australians traces back to more than a hundred years ago when the first Australians set foot on the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910). Joseph H. Davies and his sister Mary were missionaries who had arrived in Busan in 1889 in hopes of spreading the word of God.
Australia's first contact with Koreans happened more than 50 years later in the aftermath of the Korean War. Immigration in the 1970s was dominated by expatriate Korean engineers who had worked in South Vietnam, Indonesia, Iran, South America and Germany.
Immigrants in the 1980s were mostly invited by families that had settled already; then came a great number of students and business immigrants.
Now, the number of Koreans in Australia, including students and those on working holiday visas, is estimated at 130,000, and the number continues to grow, Chu Eun-taek, chairman of the compilation committee said.
The book is the result of two years of work in collaboration with small Korean communities throughout Australia, Chu explained. Almost 20 ethnic Koreans participated.
Australian Ambassador to Korea Peter Rowe extended his congratulations on the book.
Chu said the book is expected to contribute to promoting Korean-Australian relations and helping Koreans plan to visit or immigrate to Australia. "It will be an informative book, offering them a sense of how Korean immigrants live in Australia."
The Australian and Korean governments have provided assistance for this project, and Chu thanked them for their "utmost support."
Special thanks went to the Australian Embassy in Korea, which provided the location for the celebration and to Jeff Robinson, minister and deputy head of missions at the embassy, who Chu said had offered unconditional help.
Robinson himself was a part of the history. He was one of the first five students at the very first Korean program at the Australian National University in Canberra, Australia, and he attended the program in 1981.
The program is mentioned in the book as well.
Married to a Korean woman, the daughter of a Korean immigrant couple, Robinson considers Korea as his second home.
"I am pleased to see and recognize Koreans in Australia and their contribution to Australia. Koreans are the most well-integrated and successful group in Australia," he said.
The book is only available in Korean, but an English translation and CD-ROM production will soon be published.
The committee also plans to donate copies to all major national libraries around the world, Chu said.