The Journal of the Korea Contents Association (한국콘텐츠학회논문지)

The Korea Contents Association (한국콘텐츠학회)
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Korea's Policy on Overseas Koreans: Factors that Strengthen Korean Americans' Sentiment towards the Motherland

재외동포정책: 차세대 재미한인 교육지원 방향 중심으로

  • 장안리 (홍익대학교 광고홍보학부)
  • Received : 2019.09.25
  • Accepted : 2019.11.23
  • Published : 2019.12.28
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Abstract

Since Kim Dae-jung's administration, the Korean government has established policy for overseas Koreans to provide nationalism education to their descendants. While the policy is still in effect today, as to how the recipients of the support in the USA make meaning of the programs given much changes in the social climate in respect to Korean culture, has not been examined in-depth. Therefore, through in-depth interviews with Korean Americans, the current study examined how the recipients of the educational program perceive policy on education program towards Korean Americans and whether it has strengthened their nationalism or sentiment towards motherland. The study further examines the factors that influences their sentiments towards the motherland as identified by Korean Americans. The findings show that exposure to the culture and parents' teachings of the Korean values have helped them embrace Korean heritage. Moreover, findings revealed that their sense of Koreanness were due to positive memories from visits they had when they were young and changes in Korea's status in the global arena. Future direction of the policy and suggestion for specific programs for Korean Americans, as well as implications of the findings are discussed.

한국 정부의 주요 해외 공중 집단 중 하나는 해외에 거주하고 있는 재외동포로서 정부는 이들을 인적자원으로 인식하여 2000년대 초반부터 재외동포정책을 수립하여 해외에 거주하고 있는 동포 자녀들에게 민족주의 제고를 위해 한국어 교육지원 사업을 실시하였다. 본 연구에서는 교육지원사업의 대상인 재미한인들이 한국어 학교를 통해 현재까지 진행된 교육 지원 사업에 대한 경험에 의거한 생각과 효과를 탐색적 접근을 통해 살펴보았다. 연구 결과에 의하면 재미한인들에게는 한국어 학교 보다는 부모님이 가르쳐 준 한국 문화 및 가치 그리고 직접적인 한국 문화체험이 한국에 대한 긍정적 태도 및 한국 혈통으로서의 자부심을 형성하는데 더 큰 영향을 미친 것으로 나타났다. 또한 연구결과 참여자들은 본인들도 한국문화 및 언어를 더 배울 뿐 아니라 추후 자녀에게도 계승하고자 하였는데 이러한 동기부여는 전반적으로 세계 무대에서 한국의 위상이 높아지고 한국문화에 대한 평가가 향상되었기 때문인 것으로 나타났다. 본 연구는 앞으로 재미동포와의 관계발전을 위한 재외동포 정책 방향 및 차세대 재미한인들을 위한 문화 교류 프로그램을 제안하는데 의의가 있다.

Keywords

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