방문취업 재중 동포의 일 경험과 생활세계 = The Impact of the Working Visit System on the Korean-Chinese Migrants in South Korea

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

The Working Visit System was launched on March 4, 2007, to facilitate visits to South Korea by overseas Koreans from China and the former Soviet Union territories, granting them permission to work in businesses that require low-skilled labor. The H-2 visa is valid for a maximum of 5 years, but each stay is typically permitted up to 3 years, during which a person is allowed unrestricted departures and arrivals. The purpose of this research is to analyze the changing labor experiences of many Korean-Chinese in South Korea. In-depth interviews were conducted between June and November 2008 with 30 Korean-Chinese to assess the Working Visit System`s impact on their patterns of migration and ways of life in South Korea. Many Korean-Chinese generally acknowledged the usefulness of the system, especially because it removed restrictions on the commute between China and South Korea, substantially reducing their migration costs. In particular, the system has also eased their fear of being stigmatized as `outlawed`, or `undocumented` migrants. The number of seasonal laborers from China to South Korea increased significantly since the implementation of the Working Visit System. Many Korean-Chinese monitor economic developments in China and South Korea, to seek opportunities that might improve their families living conditions. Many are known to work in South Korea while concurrently running businesses in China. The Working Visit System facilitates a smooth continuity in life between the two countries, enabling many Korean-Chinese to take care of their family and property while expanding their transnational networks and connections. The result is an increase in the number of Korean-Chinese who broaden the horizons of their social imagination by considering South Korea as a place for long-term settlement or even home. The Working Visit System is a remarkable policy in the 20-year history of Korean-Chinese migration, but it is not without drawbacks. The system views all Korean-Chinese equally as `non-skilled` laborers, regardless of their levels of education, work experience and individual aspirations. Many Korean-Chinese are often unable to find employment in lines of work that match their work experience, education, expertise and social positions in China. Many also experience a significant decline in their social and economic conditions, thus slipping towards the margins of society. Furthermore, the Working Visit System also neither addresses nor helps to resolve some of the problems that many Korean-Chinese residents frequently face as migrant workers. These include delays in wage payment, unfulfilled contracts, and discrimination at the individual level. Thus, the freedom of movement that the Working Visit System grants to Korean-Chinese for travel between China and South Korea has done little to improve their work conditions or quality of life in South Korea.

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