An examination of the Korean community in the Dominican Republic

This paper is the first attempt to study the community of approximately 700 Koreans living in the Dominican Republic. Koreans in the Dominican Republic are a peculiar group that enriches Dominican culture and economy. There are 23 Korean companies operating in the Dominican Republic generating millions of tax dollars for Dominican government coffers and providing much-needed jobs. Despite their contributions, Koreans in the Dominican Republic have not yet been studied in terms of their adaptation, their day to day lives and the problems they face. This paper draws upon qualitative and quantitative sources such as questionnaires filled by 108 Korean adults, interviews with Korean community leaders and observations in an effort to document the experiences and business ventures of Koreans in the Dominican Republic. The survey results suggest that church and family are the basic units of interaction for Koreans in the Dominican Republic. Koreans have little socialization with people outside their inner circles although acculturation seems to be taking place with the young who expressed interest in Dominican food, dance, music and tourist attractions. The main problems facing Koreans are the crime, corruption in the Dominican government, and culture-driven conflicts between Korean employers and Dominican employees.