KOREA FOUNDATION

[Letter from a KF Visiting Fellow] Continuing My Scholarly Career with Research on Korean Immigration Policy

From March through August 2019, I had the honor and fortune of benefitting from the support of a KF Field Research Fellowship to support my dissertation research on immigration policy in Korea. During my time as a KF fellow, I was affiliated with Yonsei University’s Department of Political Science. I was delighted to have Yonsei as my home base; as a 2013 master’s alumna from Yonsei’s Graduate School of International Studies, being based back in Sinchon was both like a homecoming and a launching pad for my PhD scholarship.

My dissertation research focuses on the evolution of Korea’s immigration policies over the past twenty years. For scholars of immigrant incorporation and citizenship studies, Korea’s experience with immigration is an interesting case because of the country’s dynamic changes that permit diverse groups of foreigners entry. My research looks at how the Korean government has grappled with balancing the complex interests and challenges of opening the country to long-term residents and immigrants, including marriage migrants and migrant workers.

My overarching goal for my six months in Seoul was to watch and listen—to soak up as much as possible about how Korean scholars, politicians, government officials, NGO workers, and other stakeholders think about and advocate for migrant issues. Through my fellowship and my sponsor faculty at Yonsei, I was able to make connections to events and organizations involved in the debates around migrant issues today. During my time in Korea, I visited migrant support centers, the Ansan Multicultural District, and Global Village Centers around Seoul. I also attended public forums at the National Assembly and Seoul City Government offices, and was honored to be able to participate in academic conferences with Korean scholars. I benefited greatly from their perspectives on identifying the challenges and solutions to contemporary migration issues.

In addition to supporting the time for research, the KF also supported networking among fellows. The KF organized a three-day trip for fellows to Jeolla-do, and I was able to see so much more of the history and culture of the country through some truly memorable tours with a great tour guide. I also bonded with other fellows, and our cross-cultural exchanges, united through our mutual study of Korea, were an exceptional experience. The support of the Korea Foundation made my dissertation research and continuing scholarly career possible. As I continue to write, speak, and teach about my research, I hope I can live up to the faith the KF placed in my potential to contribute to the field of Korean studies.

Johns Hopkins UniversityDarcie Draudt (United States)

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