[Choi Jun-young's Urban Pilgrimage] Cities and Foreigners

Cities gather many people and create urban strength through diversity. Homogeneous places are comfortable for those who belong there but tend to be monotonous and less capable of coping with changing situations. Historically, cities have been places where strangers could easily meet, allowing people to access news from distant places and create opportunities to generate wealth through such interactions.

Many modern metropolises are often composed of people of various races, skin colors, and nationalities. Although it may seem that this diversity developed naturally over time, history shows that cities have undergone many ups and downs. Before the rise of nationalist consciousness, diverse religions and races lived within the boundaries of empires without major difficulties. While there were instances where certain regions, religious groups, or races were granted more rights and power, extreme conflicts and confrontations were relatively rare.

Increasing Urban Diversity Through Interaction with Strangers

This urban landscape began to change rapidly in the 19th century with the emergence of nationalism. Emphasizing "difference" over "similarity," city residents started to divide into factions and view each other as adversaries. Many European cities, which had long been home to diverse populations, transformed into cities dominated by specific ethnicities and races after World War I and World War II. This trend accelerated rapidly with the end of the Cold War in the early 1990s and the globalization that intensified from the 2000s. Major cities competed to embrace greater diversity, showing inclusive attitudes toward strangers, leading to rapid growth in European and American metropolises, while the gap with less inclusive regions widened significantly.

Newcomers entering cities naturally concentrate in certain areas, depend on each other, and form their own networks to adapt to unfamiliar environments. Chinatowns found in cities worldwide are a prime example, and Koreans also exhibit similar patterns. Foreign residents in Seoul, South Korea, show this as well. Japanese people live collectively in Dongbu Ichon-dong, French people in Seorae Village, and Chinese people in Daerim-dong, creating unique urban scenes.

Choi Jun-young, Senior Advisor at Law Firm Yulchon

As of the end of 2019, the total number of foreigners residing in South Korea was 2.52 million, a 6.6% increase from 2018, accounting for 4.9% of the total population. By nationality, China ranked first with 1,101,782 people (43.6%), of whom 701,098 were ethnic Koreans from China (Joseonjok). Following were Vietnam with 224,518 (8.9%), Thailand with 209,909 (8.3%), the United States with 156,982 (6.2%), and Japan with 86,106 (3.4%). Over the past five years, the proportion of people from China and the United States has decreased, while those from Southeast Asia and Central Asia have increased.

Inclusive Attitudes Toward Strangers
Rapid Growth of European and U.S. Metropolises

Although many foreigners work alongside us, many people do not feel the presence of such a large foreign population. The gap between reality and perception is closely related to the spatial distribution of foreigners. In places like Ansan, Siheung, and Pocheon cities in Gyeonggi Province, as well as Yeongdeungpo-gu, Guro-gu, and Geumcheon-gu in Seoul, and Eumseong County in Chungbuk Province?where many companies have relocated to avoid metropolitan regulations?foreigners account for more than 10% of the total population. Ethnic Koreans from China (Joseonjok) and Chinese, who are difficult to distinguish visually from Koreans, have a lower proportion outside the Seoul metropolitan area, whereas foreign workers from Vietnam and other Asian countries have a much higher residential proportion in non-metropolitan areas.

In Seoul, ethnic Koreans from China and Chinese combined account for 79.2% of all foreign workers, but this proportion drops sharply to 28.9% in non-metropolitan areas. Conversely, foreign workers from other Asian countries make up 62.7% in non-metropolitan areas and 40.3% in the metropolitan area, showing a contrasting pattern. People living in large cities find it difficult to encounter foreign workers with different skin colors, while those living in rural areas interact and live alongside more foreigners. In South Korea, globalization and internationalization are progressing faster not in dazzling metropolises but in quiet, inconspicuous small and medium-sized cities.

2.52 Million Foreign Residents in South Korea
Preparing Cities to Build Together

The increase in foreigners residing in the country enhances urban diversity. As people with diverse backgrounds and ways of thinking interact more, they develop broader perspectives and new viewpoints. The influx of various cultures, including food, enriches urban life. The presence of foreigners performing jobs that natives avoid lowers costs and improves quality of life. When foreigners concentrate in relatively inexpensive, underdeveloped areas, new vitality brings about change. Daerim-dong, once filled only with old houses, has transformed into a bustling and vibrant place thanks to the Chinese community. The increase in economic activities by foreigners raises land and housing prices in previously underdeveloped areas, promoting redevelopment projects that were previously unfeasible due to economic reasons, thereby changing the city's appearance and spatial structure.

On the other hand, the increase in foreigners can also trigger conflicts and confrontations. As concentration in specific areas intensifies, natives may feel deprived as they become a minority, and hostile feelings may rise due to changes in familiar peaceful environments. Different cultures can lead to unexpected conflicts and clashes. The use of foreign workers, which began to address labor shortages, becomes increasingly complex over time in terms of socio-economic impact and social integration in every country. The moment when South Korea cannot sustain itself without foreign workers is gradually approaching, but awareness and discussions on this issue have not progressed adequately.

For urban growth, continuous inflow of manpower and expansion of diversity are necessary. Cities with diversity better withstand external shocks and recover quickly. In South Korea, the future of urban change and growth now depends on the role of foreigners. It is time to consider what kind of city we will build together with strangers and what preparations are needed. Choi Jun-young, Specialist at Yulchon LLC

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.