DIVIDE | koreaninfusion

Divide 분할 bunhal

In the past few years, there has been an increase in international students from South Korea coming to Auburn.

Population Growth 인구 증가 ingu jeung-ga

There has been an increase in Korean population in Auburn over the past few years. In 2015, the FTA (Free Trade Agreement) was created between South Korea and the U.S. to enhance both countries’ economies. 80% of U.S. industrial goods became tax free for Korea, one of those goods being car parts. It also increased access for U.S. companies to Korea’s $580 billion business market. South Korea’s economy is mostly reliant on international trade. In 2015 the U.S. sent almost three billion dollars in remittances to South Korea.

In that same year, Auburn University and The Korea Institute of Technology (KITECH) agreed to work together to support Korea’s automotive industry through joint research and technology development done in Auburn’s facilities. This agreement opened up opportunities to work with Kia. With the Kia plant being just past the state line in West Point, Georgia, it has had a positive effect on the community. It is the only Kia plant in the U.S. and has created over 3,000 jobs, drawing in many Korean families from the area but also from overseas.

With the influx in population, there was a need for some changes at Auburn University. Through the partnership between Auburn University and Keimyung University in Seoul, South Korea, a bridge was formed to help connect the cultural gap between the two different communities of people. This connection was a welcome sign for Korean students to come study at Auburn.

Studying Abroad 해외 유학 haeoe yuhag

In the past Korean immigrants had been coming overseas due to political and military reasons but now economics and academics are what drive them to the U.S. The U.S. attracts over 60 % of the Korean students who come to study in American universities. This makes South Koreans one of the largest groups of international students, over 100,000.

The decision to study abroad for these international students all comes down to the price of tuition and the university’s reputation of achievement. Due to South Korea’s technology driven economy, most students will major in business and engineering programs to have a better chance at getting a job when they return home. Most South Korean families spend triple what an American does, making education the nation’s largest spending area even surpassing military expenses.

Families are willing to go into debt to send their kids to the U.S. where they will get a better education with more options in academia. It gives them a chance to join clubs and organizations that will teach them skills helpful for a career. One of the biggest reasons is for the students to learn English. Most universities in the U.S. offer English as a Second Language class (ESL) to help with oral and written communication.

Auburn’s partnering with Kia Motors and Keimyung University is providing Korean students with potential connections after graduation. Many students that go back to South Korea for a job find that businesses prefer employees with a U.S. degree and to be bilingual.

Get Educated 교육을 받다 gyoyug-eul badda

With an increase in the Korean student population it’s understandable that some people may not be so adaptable to change. This is why Auburn and its student need to be educated on the vast cultures out there. Sometimes we are fearful and ignorant about others so we create assumptions. Those assumptions can get in the way and prevent us from meeting new people. Although the Korean culture may seem very different to those that don’t know it, it’s actually more interesting than you may think.

There are so many elements about the culture that we could learn from. One of the biggest being behavior. Respect is very important to Korean culture. The elderly are the most respected because they have essentially raised the nation on their backs and endured years of hard labor to make lives better for everyone else.

Not only is respect shown, it is also heard through the language. The language uses honorifics where words have different variations that are used when speaking to someone of higher status or age. Koreans are well mannered because they were raised to be.

In order to understand them I think we need to dive into their world and get acquainted with who they are as people.

Sometimes it’s hard to get out of our comfort zone in trying something new but imagine how they must feel being here in a strange place where they don’t know anyone. The language barrier may be a bit tricky but reaching out to them first will show them you’re trying and they will appreciate the gesture.