My parents are both immigrants from South Korea. They can speak English well enough, but occasionally their accent will come out in conversations with my friends and I will cringe. However, this self-consciousness seems almost silly compared to the degree to which bi-racial children are mistreated in Korea, purely for the color of their skin. Bi-racial children are humiliated to the point that the toughest of men still remember the pain. Even wide receiver of the Steelers and MVP of Super Bowl XL, Hines Ward is said to have duck down in the car seat when his mom would drive him to school. He stopped when his mother told him: “if you are that ashamed of me, don't be with me anymore.”
Consider this excerpt from a Daily News Article (http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/2009/01/31/2009-01-31_steelers_hines_ward_is_making_a_differen.html): “The Pearl S. Buck International foundation, which works with Ward to create awareness of discrimination against bi-racial children in Korea, estimated in 2006 that 9.4% of Amerasian children in Korea dropped out of school before finishing the elementary grades and 17.5% of Amerasian children dropped out of middle school due to discrimination and constant teasing. Those are disturbing numbers, since only 1.1% of typical Korean children dropped out before completing middle school.”
These are startling statistics. I always knew that Korea was highly influenced by an older, more conservative generation, but this mode of thinking should be left in the 20th century. The article describes Hines Ward as a man breaking boundaries for not only bi-racial citizens, but for Koreans who treat bi-racial people as second-class citizens as well. He is a source of inspiration and a national celebrity in Korea who has met with the Korean president.
Ward: "I have seen change. They didn't (used to) let mixed races into the military and they have passed laws to allow mixed races to join the military. I am not trying to change it overnight. I am not trying to be the next Martin Luther King." You’re not trying to be the next MLK, Ward, but you’re still breaking racial barriers; Way to be.
I had no idea that these attitudes persisted in Korea, and I had no idea that Ward was fighting them. I'm impressed. I'd also like to know more. Does the discrimination stop with childhood teasing, or does it extend to the professional world? Are there laws to prevent this discrimination, or is this a legal work-in-progress?
ReplyDeleteInteresting post. Thanks!
Like Gocsik, I am really surprised about the multiracial discrimination in Korea. I was entirely unaware of it. I also have a couple of questions, where does this discrimination stem from? Is the media fueling it? Is it a recent development or has the discrimination been around for a while?
ReplyDeletei'm wondering why there are bi-racial koreans? sorry i don't really know this part of the korean history.
ReplyDeletei think in east asian countries, it's more likely for people to discriminate someone who has a different physical feature, as people in most east asian countries are highly homogeneous. it just happens spontaneously and naturally.