Foreigners

Hi, I'm Stephane. I live in Seoul and I'm from Africa, just like any other Seoulite, just like any other human being.

My passport says that I'm French, and that's also true. If I were an American citizen, I guess my blue eyes and my facial features would have census officers tick the "Caucasian" box, but in France like in Germany, keeping any kind of race-related record has been illegal ever since the Nazi Occupation. I can't think of any nation that ever succeeded in completely eradicating discriminations and racism (certainly not France), but in most democracies, incitement to ethnic or racial hatred is a crime.

Over the past few days, Seoul's international community has been taken aback by "The Shocking Reality About Relationships With Foreigners" a sensationalistic program recently aired by MBC, one of Korea's top broadcasters. Radiating xenophobia, this short video uses classic propaganda techniques to depict all Foreigners as sexual predators abusing Korean women:



In spite of a legitimate uproar (but without much pressure from fellow mainstream Korean media), MBC executives refused to apologize, claiming this program had been outsourced. So to a major injury to journalistic ethics, they added an insult to editorial ethics.

Note that MBC has already been on damage control mode for years: PD Diary controversies, nomination of a(n also) controversial president (KIM Jae-chul), months of strike... such is the shocking reality about Korean politics. Somehow, the absence of political debate and the inaudibility of moderates from all sides paves the way for pervasive disinformation and corruption.

Let's be very clear:

- This caricature of a program is by no means Korea. It's an insult to Korean values even more than to media ethics, not to mention, of course, to Koreans and to 'foreigners'. Hopefully, moderates are speaking up online* where, in contrast with MBC's negative video, hundreds of positive messages keep piling up, exposing the shocking reality: mixed families living happily in a welcoming nation.

- Yes, this is not the first incident in that vein, but Korean authorities are already investing in public awareness and pedagogy (tolerance, mutual understanding and mutual respect in a multicultural society), in order to prepare the former Hermit Kingdom and new global player for the major demographic challenges ahead**. MBC's video will certainly be a hot topic at the special 2012 Seoul Town Meeting held on Saturday 9.

- If MBC deserves blame and should apologize, we should at the same time praise Korean media when they do the right thing. I have in mind a front page article by the Chosun Ilbo, a couple of weeks ago, denouncing the contradictions of Korean media when they, at the same time if not in the same breath, boasted about the nomination of a Korean-American as the head of the World Bank (Jim Yong KIM), and lambasted the first 'foreign' members of the parliament (Jasmine LEE)***. Over the past months, the Chosun Ilbo has taken a stand for other just causes through long and well searched campaigns, for instance against bullying at school, or more recently against the culture of permissivity for drunkenness (considered an extenuating circumstance even in the most odious crimes). Promoting fairness in the media and praising fair campaigns is another way of exposing all wrongdoings, and it shows the right direction.

- Such regrettable incidents are not specific to Korea. Yes, even here, we might be witnessing a classic "us vs them" imposture: some pseudo-nationalist hatemongers could try to feed their war on Korean democracy by creating a fake "Foreigners vs Koreans" debate. We've already seen them play ping pong with fellow hatemongers in Japan****, and nationalism sells well in times of crisis... I wouldn't be surprised if they slammed as "un-Korean" any Korean media denouncing their imposture...

Here are the actual 'foreigners': an infinitesimal clique of impostors who, from the inside, are trying to estrange Koreans from themselves, spreading confusion, ignorance, and misunderstanding, fueling hatred, in the opposite direction to the nation's Confucian values and peaceful traditions.

To expose these impostors, Korea keeps repeating, every day, the same evidence: love is the answer.

From and to Korea, with love,

Stephane

Seoul Village 2012
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* most notably in the fast growing Facebook group "Action against MBC Korea and their racist, biased "reporting.""
** see for instance: "In 2050, almost 10% of Korea's population will not be Korean"
*** "Korean Xenophobia Betrays Double Standards"
**** I won't list again all the posts, but quote myself nonetheless (that was about the 1000th demonstration of Korean victims of sexual slavery, where I sent back to back ultranationalists from both countries): "This is not about nationalism, and this is certainly not about Korea vs Japan, but about Japan vs Justice, and about Japan vs its own future. Crimes were committed and victims simply expect justice. Japan must face history in order to face the future, and its leaders cannot hide the truth to Japanese citizens any longer. I've said the same thing about other issues: this is also about saving Japan. And if I joined the protesters, it's also because I love Japan and because I can't accept to see a minority of die hard ultra-conservatives setting a corrupt agenda and betraying the Japanese people. And to Korean ultra-nationalists who try to hijack this case for their own corrupt agenda, I say: clean your own mess first, and restore the Truth and Reconciliation Commission". Now this is about Korea vs its own future. To be future-proof, Korea must face its own past, and denounce those who try to conceal it (see "Truth and Reconciliation - Justice at last"). Education is as always key for the future, and I'm very distressed to see History losing ground in Korean schools ("History Loses Place in School Curriculum").

Seoul Town Hall Meeting 2011

Seoul's 13th town hall meeting, probably the last to be held at Seosomun Annex before the inauguration of the new City Hall (on the other side of the avenue formerly known as Taepyeongno), was a great success.

Two month into his new job, Mayor Park Won-soon attended the whole meeting and confirmed his reputation by expressing empathy for everyone. He never intervened in English, but mentioned his experience abroad and (unlike yours truly) didn't need to use the translation device.

The audience (as usual international residents from all origins) was all ears, comfortably sitting at a table and enjoying a plate of fresh fruits - an echo to the hit drama of the year about free school lunches?

This meeting focused on education issues and particularly for multicultural households, in which kids often experience discrimination and bullying at school, and parents frustration - if not humiliation as sometimes highly educated people - on a daily basis.

I've often criticized the self-destructive trends in Korea's educational system, a system that evolved from equal-access and merit-based selection to today's abomination. If education drove Korea to success, it is now dragging it downwards and must be reformed to ensure the country's competitivity in a world where diversity and creativity must be encouraged, not anihiliated.

If this corrupt system is driving away Koreans from parenthood and even from the country, no wonder it's becoming a deterrent for foreigners. For every parent, there's a clock ticking and the closer their kids get to The Big Exam, the more they wish there were alternatives. We all know people who are considering moving abroad even if they would prefer to stay in Korea only because of this nonsense. What a waste: as elementary schools and universities are becoming more and more foreigner-friendly, everything seems to be made to ruin the rest.

Even more than new foreign schools, Korea needs to make sure its own people does not feel estranged from its own schools. Reforming the system will not only facilitate the integration of foreign and multicultural individuals, but the integration of all citizens into a sounder society.

Learning should always be stimulating and motivating, and I was pleased to hear that Seoul Metropolitan Government officials were about to promote extracurricular activities and sports at school.

Likewise, good news for pedestrians and bicycle riders: the city intends to continue its efforts in their favor, and will follow the same pattern as many Western countries, where pedestrians come first, then cyclists, then motor vehicles (as we speak, bicycles are treated as cars). Police authorities pledged to enforce more drastically the ban of motorcycles on sidewalks.

Seoul keeps improving because it's constantly taking into account all comments, complaints, or suggestions from its citizens, looking for answers and solutions, following up every issue. Seoul Global Center changed everything for foreign communities, reaching far beyond the usual affluent expats to the populations that need the most help. The staff and volunteers are doing a tremendous job, and thousands of members of the international community keep contributing every year with precious insights and feed back, but Seoul can thank the man who's been leading this change and enabling this cultural shift: Alan Timblick, the Head of SGC.

As the capital city, Seoul can show the way in the much needed overhaul of education, and it can leverage what has now become a model institution across the region. You too can have your say and contact the Seoul Global Center.

Seoul Village
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2011 Town Hall Meeting Program:
. Opening (Hong Min-ji)
. Progress report (Alan Timblick)
. Opening remarks (Park Won-soon)
. Presentations: SMG Office of Education (Nam Mi-sook), Gwangjang Elementary School (Park Kyeong-a), Marriage Immigrant (Yamaguchi Hideko), Purun Citizen Community (Moon Jong-seok)
. Q&A, opinions (Jasmine Lee)
. Closing remarks (Park Won-soon)

2010 Seoul Town Meeting

A couple of weeks ago, OH Se-hoon was grilled by a JoongAng Daily reporter about previous Seoul Town Meetings, which didn't always give enough time for interactivity between city officials and international residents.

Kicked off by the Mayor himself, this edition was clearly a success : more time for Q&As, high ranking officials from all key departments with precise answers to all questions, and lively presentations by Hong Suk-ki (whose future report on Foreign communities should be a very interesting read - I hope it will be published in English as well) and Koo A-mi (confirming the city's ambitions in sustainable development - see all posts related to environment on Seoul Village). Under Alan Timblick's always careful watch, the show went just fine and on schedule, following a dense program but also a pleasant rythm.

I really appreciated the honesty of city officials : service and result oriented, never distant nor arrogant, never trying to dodge their responsibilities, frankly answering and acknowledging issues that can be improved, pledging to call back when they don't have the answer...

And that's the way Seoul works: the city wants to know what can be done to improve its global profile. A lot has already been achieved over the past few years, but more than ever, every citizen is invited to voice out suggestions or complaints 24/7/365 (as usual, Dasan 120 and the Seoul Global Center are the easiest entry point to get answers).

2010 Seoul Town Meeting program:
. Opening speech - Mayor OH Se-hoon
. Seoul Town Meeting updates - Alan Timblick
. Multiculturalism - presentations by Hong Suk-ki, Blaz Kriznik, and Tatiana Primakova
. Seoul's air quality - presentations by Koo A-mi, Nguyen Duc Luong
. Q&As

Seoul Village 2010