Foreigners fear Korea’s growing social discrimination

“A lot of foreigners go to that restaurant. You’d better avoid it. Same goes for stores where they’re often seen.” These are the kinds of comments now heard in Jeongwang-dong, Siheung, Gyeonggi Province.

Similar remarks are circulating in Wongok-dong, Ansan, and Godeung-dong, Suwon, following a recent string of violent crimes. On May 17, a Chinese national named Cha Cheol-nam killed two people with a hammer in Jeongwang-dong, allegedly over unpaid debt. Two days later, he stabbed two more people near his home, claiming they had disrespected him. On May 19, a foreign man in his 40s attacked five Koreans with three knives at Dongtan Lake Park. A comparable incident occurred in Byeongjeom-dong, Hwaseong. In neighborhoods with high foreign populations, residents now report feeling nervous when encountering non-Koreans at night.

Online spaces are more explicit. Posts labeling Chinese nationals as criminals or urging avoidance of people with darker skin often go viral. The crimes are undoubtedly heinous, and the pain of the victims is immeasurable. But the familiar pattern of widespread xenophobia after incidents involving foreigners deserves serious reflection.

Foreign crime is indeed on the rise. National Police Agency data show 29,450 foreign offenders in 2021, increasing to 32,737 last year—an 11 percent rise over four years. However, during that period, the foreign resident population grew by 36 percent, from 1.95 million to 2.65 million. In relative terms, the crime rate among foreigners remains lower: last year, 1,384 per 100,000 compared to nearly 2,000 per 100,000 among Korean nationals. Encountering a foreigner on a dark street is not inherently more dangerous than encountering a Korean.

With foreigners making up 5.17 percent of South Korea’s population—2.65 million out of 51.2 million—the country now qualifies as a multicultural society by OECD standards. Foreign workers are embedded in daily life. Restaurants, stores, factories, construction sites, nursing homes, and schools depend on them. About 5 percent of elementary, middle, and high school students are from multicultural backgrounds. At Bongmyeong Elementary School in Cheongju, notices are issued in five languages, including Vietnamese. The website of Hanam Jungang Elementary in Gwangju’s Gwangsan District is translated into eight languages such as Russian, Mongolian, and Thai.

Despite being part of Korean society, many foreigners say they are alienated by growing discrimination. Complaints range from wage theft and racism at work to social exclusion. Some foreign students say their experiences have turned them from Korea fans into critics. “I came here because of K-pop and dramas, but the reality is disappointing—disorganized classes, poor academic support, and indifference,” said one student. “We’re treated like tuition-paying machines.”

There are about 260,000 international students in Korea, around 10 percent of all college and junior college students. Universities see them as a lifeline in a time of demographic decline. Yet while recruitment is aggressive, support is often lacking. One university president warned, “These students are pro-Korean enough to study here, but many go home with bad memories, becoming critics instead of goodwill ambassadors.”

The problem extends beyond campuses. Students from countries like China, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Uzbekistan report people avoiding them on public transport and landlords refusing them housing. Statistics Korea found that 20 percent of foreigners experience racial discrimination. Some return home and share their stories online, fueling anti-Korean sentiment through so-called “K-discrimination” videos.

With the foreign population expected to surpass 3 million soon, crimes involving foreigners may continue to rise. Stronger measures are needed to address illegal immigration and improve public safety. But branding all foreigners as threats and fueling hatred may pose an even greater danger. Rather than build walls of fear, South Korea must pursue inclusive policies that reinforce order while treating foreigners as neighbors and members of society.