조선족 - 경계에 서다 [풀영상] | 창 547회 (KBS 26.5.12.)

"Because they are ethnic Koreans from China, they don't seem like Chinese, nor do they seem like Koreans." With the establishment of diplomatic relations between South Korea and China in 1992, ethnic Koreans from China began entering Korea in earnest. Over 30 years have passed, and the number of ethnic Koreans from China, which stood at 35,000 at the time, has now reached 670,000. Although they have become the largest group among migrants residing in the country, views regarding them remain divided. [Current Affairs Planning Window] analyzed the role ethnic Koreans from China have played in the Korean labor market and examined the background of visa policies and social perceptions surrounding them. ■ The People Korea Needed Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between South Korea and China in 1992, ethnic Koreans from China have filled the void in the Korean labor market. It is estimated that currently, ethnic Koreans from China account for over 80% of foreign workers at construction sites and 80–90% of caregivers at nursing hospitals in the Seoul metropolitan area. An expert states, "If these ethnic Koreans leave, the skilled labor market at construction sites will suffer, and the caregiving market will collapse quickly." ■ Compatriots? Foreign Workers? Or 'Chinks'? For a long time, visas for ethnic Koreans from China were divided into the Visiting Employment (H-2) visa, which allows only simple labor, and the Overseas Korean (F-4) visa. This is different from ethnic Koreans with U.S. and Japanese citizenship who were eligible for the Overseas Korean visa from the beginning. The visas, which had been separated for nearly 20 years, were integrated into a single system early this year. The social perception of ethnic Koreans from China was also confirmed. According to a survey of 1,036 adults nationwide conducted by [Sisa Gijeok Chang], favorability ratings for other ethnic Korean groups with different nationalities—such as Americans, Japanese, and Koryo-in—were around 30%, while favorability ratings for ethnic Koreans from China stood at only 8.4%. Last year, they also became targets of hate rallies. Anti-China rallies that began in Myeongdong, Seoul, spread to residential areas for ethnic Koreans such as Daerim-dong, and protesters marched to streets lined with elementary, middle, and high schools. Even students have been exposed to hate speech. We diagnose the danger signal that hatred, previously confined to the online sphere, has surfaced. ■ Youths of Yanbian, A New Choice The reporting team met with a new generation of compatriots in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture, the hometown of many ethnic Koreans in China. For the youth of Yanbian, who are familiar with K-pop and Korean dramas, Korea remains an attractive option, but it is no longer the only path. While their parents' generation worked in construction sites, restaurants, and nursing homes, this generation desires office and technical jobs and is turning their attention to major Chinese cities such as Shanghai and Beijing. ■ People on the Border, It Is Korean Society's Turn to Answer In Korea, where the working-age population is shrinking due to low birth rates and an aging population, the 670,000 ethnic Koreans in China have become a presence that can no longer be ignored. Experts point out that if the settlement and integration of compatriots who share the same language and culture remain difficult, coexistence with non-compatriot foreigners will be even more challenging. Coexistence with compatriots in China is a task that Korea, moving toward a multicultural society, can no longer postpone. #KoreanChinese #ChineseCompatriots #OverseasKoreans #PeopleOnTheBorder #Immigration #Multicultural #Yanbian #Daerimdong #CurrentAffairsPlanningChang Reporter: Choi Eun-jin Cameraman: Kwon Soon-doo Video Editor: Seong Dong-hyeok Assistant Director: Yoon Sang-hoon Research: Kim Seon-kyung Broadcast: May 12, 2026, 10:00 PM, KBS 1TV Current Affairs Planning Chang Homepage https://news.kbs.co.kr/vod/program.do... YouTube @kbssisa Facebook Facebook: changkbs Search 'Current Affairs Planning Chang' on WAVVE • The operator may delete slanderous or malicious comments to protect the participants.