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Occupational Integration and Challenges Faced by Former North Korean Teachers in South Korea
Author(s) -
Kim Yoon Young
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
international migration
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.681
H-Index - 64
eISSN - 1468-2435
pISSN - 0020-7985
DOI - 10.1111/imig.12511
Subject(s) - government (linguistics) , immigration , resistance (ecology) , face (sociological concept) , political science , economic growth , medical education , sociology , medicine , social science , ecology , philosophy , linguistics , law , economics , biology
This study examines cultural barriers and societal challenges that hinder the occupational integration of former North Korean teachers into the South Korean educational system. As a step toward integrating themselves as professionals into South Korea, these newly arrived immigrants participated in a special government‐funded education programme ( NK Academy) in 2010 and 2011. Primary data were collected from 28 interviewees who had attended the NK Academy. Data also include discussions among policymakers, organizers of the NK Academy, and researchers in various interactions in the course of the project. The former North Korean teachers face challenges arising from differences between the two Koreas’ educational systems, a lack of training and evaluation programmes in South Korea, social perceptions and expectations of former North Korean teachers, and social resistance to allowing them to compete for South Korean teaching licenses.