The number of foreigners living in Seoul is very much on the rise, with
a headcount of 129,660 in 2005 representing an increase of some 250
percent in the last decade. The lions-share of the overseas residents
come from China, the U.S., Taiwan, and Japan followed by the
Philippines, Vietnam, Mongolia, Canada, England and France.
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French children make songpyeon, a traditional Korea rice cake steamed
on a layer of pine needles during an event for foreigners at Seorae
Village in Seoul on Sept. 22, 2004. |
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As overseas communities have put down roots, it¡¯s become clear that
nationals from different countries like to gather in their own little
corners of the city. The French have claimed the Seocho ward¡¯s Seorae
Village, the ethnic Korean-Chinese occupy Yenben Street, Garibong-dong
in the Guri ward, and Dongbu Ichon is known to be home to many
Japanese. With the number of foreign laborers increasing, small
international districts are springing up all over town. Changshindong and Soongindong is Nepal town
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Foreigners walk near Dongmyo station, near Changshindong and Sungindong, where many Nepalese people live.
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Throngs of Nepalese are drawn to the homely sights and smells of
Nepalese restaurants like Namaste and Himalayan in the Jongno ward in
front of the Dongmyo (Eastern Shrine). It¡¯s been three or four years
since the opening of Nepalese jewelry stores prompted nationals to move
into the area in droves. Soon after, authentic Nepalese restaurants
sprang up in the area and the foundations of a community were set. One
Nepalese immigrant said, ¡°There must be at least three hundred of us
gathered here. Once or twice a year we are treated to shows by famous
Nepalese singers who come over especially and this year it will be at
Jongno public building.¡± Lee Joo-ho, who runs an Oriental medicine
clinic in the area, said ¡°The number of Nepalese using my clinic is
rising by the week. it¡¯s no longer unusual to hear their language in my
waiting room.¡± Itaewon is Little Nigeria
An alley behind the Line 6 Itaewon subway station has become ¡°Little
Nigeria¡± with Nigerians beginning to buy items at Dongdaemun and
Namdaemun markets for sale in their home country from around the year
2000. There are beauty parlors, restaurants and bars that cater to
Nigerian tastes, and one afternoon a group of Nigerians even got
together to discuss how to support their national football team. One
district official said, ¡°At night the street is pretty much filled with
Nigerians. I guess there must be at least 200 living in the area.¡± With
the mosque nearby, Friday night also bustles with Bangladeshis,
Indonesians and people from North Africa. Gwangheedong's Central Asian village
Near the Dongdaemun Stadium is Gwangheedong, an area known for
its central Asian village. In the mid-90s a number of merchants from
Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Mongolia began frequenting the area,
and now there are restaurants with signs written in Cyrillic and
buildings clustered with restaurants, trading companies, and groceries
run by Mongolians. Hyehwa-dong Philippine market
Every Sunday Filipinos gather at Daehangno in Dongseung-dong. Along the
walls of the Catholic Dongsung Middle and High School the Philippine
market is a hive of activity. It started to grow three yeas ago when
Filipinos gathered for Mass in Hyehwa Catholic Church. Foreigners make up 1.3 percent of the population of Seoul. As the
number from OECD member countries including the U.S. and Germany is
falling sharply, the number of people from non-member countries
including China is on the rise, according to researcher Yoon Hyung-ho
of the Seoul Development Institute. Between 1999 and 2005, the number of U.S. citizens in Korea
has decreased by 39 percent to 11,487 from 18,763. The number of
Germans dropped by 25 percent to 753 and French nationals living in
Korea totaled 1001, a 15 percent decrease from 1,180. Japanese proved
the exception, showing a slight increase of 6 percent, while the number
of Chinese residents soared 534 percent to 77,881 from 12,283. Numbers
of Taiwanese rose 196 percent to 8,923 from 3,011 and Vietnamese went
up to 2,385 from 841. Sharp rises in the number of Indians, Filipinos
and Bangladeshi were also evident. People from non-OECD nations
increased 280 percent combined, from 26,428 to 100, 421. (englishnews@chosun.com )
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