French people in Korea
Encyclopedia
There is a small community of French people in Korea
and Joseon Dynasty
; the treaty signed between the two countries gave French missionaries the right to evangelise in Korea
.
. Most are employed by French multinationals operating in the country. The largest concentration can be found in the Seorae Village
in Seoul
's Seocho-gu
district, which because of its location on a hill is often compared to Montmartre
in Paris
. Korea's only school using French
as the medium of instruction
moved there in 1984. Most French children only attend elementary or middle school in Seoul, but then return to France afterwards.
In September 2009, the Seoul metropolitan government announced a five billion-won plan to renovate the area and make it more attractive to foreign residents by widening pedestrian walkways and putting up more signs in French. One portion of the pavement, starting from the entrance to Bangbae Middle School, is painted in red, white, and blue, the colours of the flag of France
.
History
French people began coming to Korea as early as the seventeenth century, when French Catholic missionaries first came to the country. However, most missionaries came after the 1886 establishment of relations between FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Joseon Dynasty
Joseon Dynasty
Joseon , was a Korean state founded by Taejo Yi Seong-gye that lasted for approximately five centuries. It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo at what is today the city of Kaesong. Early on, Korea was retitled and the capital was relocated to modern-day Seoul...
; the treaty signed between the two countries gave French missionaries the right to evangelise in Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
.
Distribution
There were an estimated 2,700 French nationals in South KoreaSouth Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. Most are employed by French multinationals operating in the country. The largest concentration can be found in the Seorae Village
Seorae Village
Seorae Village, sometimes nicknamed "Montmartre" due to its hilltop location, is a small French enclave in Banpo-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul, South Korea. It is home to about 560 French people, roughly 40% of the French community in South Korea. Most of them are employees of French corporations doing...
in Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
's Seocho-gu
Seocho-gu
Seocho-gu is a gu of Seoul, South Korea. It is a popular residential area for the mid- or upper-class residents in Seoul and home to the Supreme Court and the Supreme Prosecutors' Office. Seocho Samsung Town in Seocho-dong, near Gangnam Station, is the headquarter of the several corporations of the...
district, which because of its location on a hill is often compared to Montmartre
Montmartre
Montmartre is a hill which is 130 metres high, giving its name to the surrounding district, in the north of Paris in the 18th arrondissement, a part of the Right Bank. Montmartre is primarily known for the white-domed Basilica of the Sacré Cœur on its summit and as a nightclub district...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. Korea's only school using French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
as the medium of instruction
Medium of instruction
Medium of instruction is a language used in teaching. It may or may not be the official language of the country or territory. Where the first language of students is different from the official language, it may be used as the medium of instruction for part or all of schooling. Bilingual or...
moved there in 1984. Most French children only attend elementary or middle school in Seoul, but then return to France afterwards.
In September 2009, the Seoul metropolitan government announced a five billion-won plan to renovate the area and make it more attractive to foreign residents by widening pedestrian walkways and putting up more signs in French. One portion of the pavement, starting from the entrance to Bangbae Middle School, is painted in red, white, and blue, the colours of the flag of France
Flag of France
The national flag of France is a tricolour featuring three vertical bands coloured royal blue , white, and red...
.
Notable individuals
- Siméon-François BerneuxSiméon-François BerneuxSiméon-François Berneux was a French Catholic missionary, and a member of the Paris Foreign Missions Society who was canonized as a saint....
, Catholic missionary - Victor Emile Marie Joseph Collin de PlancyVictor Emile Marie Joseph Collin de PlancyVictor Emile Marie Joseph Collin de Plancy was a career French diplomat who served most of his working life in Korea and whose private collection of Far Eastern art and antiquities went on to form the core of the Korean collection at the Musée Guimet in Paris.Collin de Plancy was born on November...
, French diplomat