Korean Brazilian
Encyclopedia
Korean Brazilian is a Brazil
ian person of full, partial, or predominantly Korea
n ancestry, or a Korean-born person residing in Brazil. The Korean population in Brazil, the largest in Latin America
, is about 50,000.
began on a small scale in the mid-1950s but was only formalized in 1962, when, to encourage emigration to control population
, reduce unemployment, and garner foreign exchange via immigrant remittances, the South Korean government passed its Overseas Emigration Law. In December 1962 the South Korean Ministry of Public Health and Social Affairs, to which the emigration section was attached, sent 92 people (members of seventeen families) to Brazil
. Although the South Korean government's desire to direct emigrants to the Southern Hemisphere
was based on the size of the Brazilian economy, many Koreans were hindered by the Brazilian government's demand that all visas, including those for tourists, be preapproved.
to Brazil
. In 1992, the South Korean embassy in Brazil extrapolated a population of about 40,000, based on families registered at its various consulates in Brazil. This sample may be underrepresenting the numbers significantly, since undocumented immigrants may choose not to register with South Korea
's representatives in Brazil, and the same might be true of documented immigrants. Unofficial estimates put the Korean population of Brazil at between two and three times that of the embassy. The overwhelming majority (90 percent) of Korean immigrants live in São Paulo
, where they have created some 2,500 small businesses, most of which produce cloth and clothing and many of which are based in their residences. Koreans are now known to control two thirds of the clothing retail business and their materials travel all over Brazil. Some Koreans also work in the field of electronic engineering and in the export-import trade. In São Paulo, the majority of Koreans live either in Liberdade neighborhood, the traditional Japanese neighborhood; in Bom Retiro, a traditional immigrant neighborhood most recently populated by East European Jews and the Lebanese; in Brás, the former Italian neighborhood, and in the upper middle-class neighborhood of Aclimação with 30% of the area's resident population made up of Korean or of Korean origin. The Praça General Polidoro square in Aclimação is surrounded by Korean restaurants, churches and other businesses.
On 6 January 2010, the São Paulo City Council officially recognised Bom Retiro as the Korean cultural neighbourhood.
since 1963. Most Koreans decided to stay in São Paulo
, where they could seek out profitable businesses and build a strong ethnic community in the city. Since the late 1980s, the economic situations of Koreans in Brazil have slowly deteriorated. Many successful Koreans who accumulated sufficient wealth abandoned Brazil to look for economic opportunities elsewhere. Some non-affluent Koreans who failed to adjust to Brazilian society also did not find bright futures in Brazil. Some Korean immigrants in Brazil decided to return to their homeland, the economy of which has grown much faster than Brazil’s since the 1980s. The early Korean immigrants who migrated as family
units maintained strong ethnic consciousness. Thus, they were able to adapt to Korean society relatively easily when they returned to Korea
. Young Korean Brazilians who completed basic South Korean education
in South Korea before moving to Brazil also did not encounter any difficulty in maintaining their Korean identity while living in Brazil thanks to the flexibility of Brazilian ethnic relations. However, second-generation Korean Brazilians did not develop clear ethnic identities in Brazil and had to work hard to be integrated into Korean society.
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian person of full, partial, or predominantly 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...
n ancestry, or a Korean-born person residing in Brazil. The Korean population in Brazil, the largest in Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
, is about 50,000.
History
Korean immigration to South AmericaSouth America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
began on a small scale in the mid-1950s but was only formalized in 1962, when, to encourage emigration to control population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
, reduce unemployment, and garner foreign exchange via immigrant remittances, the South Korean government passed its Overseas Emigration Law. In December 1962 the South Korean Ministry of Public Health and Social Affairs, to which the emigration section was attached, sent 92 people (members of seventeen families) to Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. Although the South Korean government's desire to direct emigrants to the Southern Hemisphere
Southern Hemisphere
The Southern Hemisphere is the part of Earth that lies south of the equator. The word hemisphere literally means 'half ball' or "half sphere"...
was based on the size of the Brazilian economy, many Koreans were hindered by the Brazilian government's demand that all visas, including those for tourists, be preapproved.
Life in Brazil
There's been a large flow of undocumented Korean migrants from ParaguayParaguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
to Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. In 1992, the South Korean embassy in Brazil extrapolated a population of about 40,000, based on families registered at its various consulates in Brazil. This sample may be underrepresenting the numbers significantly, since undocumented immigrants may choose not to register with South Korea
South 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...
's representatives in Brazil, and the same might be true of documented immigrants. Unofficial estimates put the Korean population of Brazil at between two and three times that of the embassy. The overwhelming majority (90 percent) of Korean immigrants live in São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, where they have created some 2,500 small businesses, most of which produce cloth and clothing and many of which are based in their residences. Koreans are now known to control two thirds of the clothing retail business and their materials travel all over Brazil. Some Koreans also work in the field of electronic engineering and in the export-import trade. In São Paulo, the majority of Koreans live either in Liberdade neighborhood, the traditional Japanese neighborhood; in Bom Retiro, a traditional immigrant neighborhood most recently populated by East European Jews and the Lebanese; in Brás, the former Italian neighborhood, and in the upper middle-class neighborhood of Aclimação with 30% of the area's resident population made up of Korean or of Korean origin. The Praça General Polidoro square in Aclimação is surrounded by Korean restaurants, churches and other businesses.
On 6 January 2010, the São Paulo City Council officially recognised Bom Retiro as the Korean cultural neighbourhood.
Return to South Korea
The return migration of Korean Brazilians has been closely related to the economic transformation of Korean community in Brazil and the history of Korean immigration into BrazilBrazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
since 1963. Most Koreans decided to stay in São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, where they could seek out profitable businesses and build a strong ethnic community in the city. Since the late 1980s, the economic situations of Koreans in Brazil have slowly deteriorated. Many successful Koreans who accumulated sufficient wealth abandoned Brazil to look for economic opportunities elsewhere. Some non-affluent Koreans who failed to adjust to Brazilian society also did not find bright futures in Brazil. Some Korean immigrants in Brazil decided to return to their homeland, the economy of which has grown much faster than Brazil’s since the 1980s. The early Korean immigrants who migrated as family
Family
In human context, a family is a group of people affiliated by consanguinity, affinity, or co-residence. In most societies it is the principal institution for the socialization of children...
units maintained strong ethnic consciousness. Thus, they were able to adapt to Korean society relatively easily when they returned to 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...
. Young Korean Brazilians who completed basic South Korean education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
in South Korea before moving to Brazil also did not encounter any difficulty in maintaining their Korean identity while living in Brazil thanks to the flexibility of Brazilian ethnic relations. However, second-generation Korean Brazilians did not develop clear ethnic identities in Brazil and had to work hard to be integrated into Korean society.
Notable persons
- Angela ParkAngela ParkAngela Park is a Brazilian-American professional golfer currently playing on the LPGA Tour. She holds dual citizenship in Brazil and the United States.-Childhood and personal life:...
, golfer - Iara LeeIara LeeIara Lee is a Korean Brazilian film producer and director based in New York City. She is better known as the director of the documentaries Synthetic Pleasures and Modulations, as well as for her involvement with the "Gaza Freedom Flotilla", in which at least nine pro-Palestinian activists were...
, filmmaker - Joon Sok Seo, paralympian swimmer (bronze medal in 2008 Summer Paralympics)
See also
- Immigration to BrazilImmigration to BrazilImmigration to Brazil is the movement to Brazil of foreign persons to reside permanently. It should not be confused with the colonisation of the country by the Portuguese, or with the forcible bringing of people from Africa as slaves....
- Asian BrazilianAsian BrazilianAn Asian Brazilian is is a Brazilian citizen of full or partial Asian ancestry, who remains culturally connected to Asia, or an Asian-born person permanently residing in Brazil. Brazil received many immigrants from Asia, both from Middle East and East Asia...
- Korean peopleKorean peopleThe Korean people are an ethnic group originating in the Korean peninsula and Manchuria. Koreans are one of the most ethnically and linguistically homogeneous groups in the world.-Names:...
- Japanese Brazilian
- Chinese BrazilianChinese BrazilianChinese Brazilians are people of Chinese ancestry who were born in or have immigrated to Brazil. The Chinese Brazilian population was estimated to be approximately 151,649....