Chinese Diaspora in the Republic of Korea: Historical Features and Adaptation Issues (Early 21st Century)

The purpose of this study is to identify the characteristics of the Chinese diaspora in the Republic of Korea in the 21st century. The relevance of the study is explained by the special position of the Chinese diaspora in South Korean society, that is facilitated by the simultaneous development of multicultural discourse and the growth of anti-Chinese sentiment in the Republic of Korea. The theoretical part of the study substantiates the use of a constructivist approach to define the concept of “diaspora” and provides brief characteristics of the global Chinese diaspora. Based on statistical analysis and analysis of the regulatory framework, the historical features of the old generation of the Chinese diaspora in the Republic of Korea are highlighted, the specifics of the new generation of Chinese migrants are determined. The adaptation problems of the Chinese diaspora at the legal and sociocultural levels are considered. Using content analysis, the process of formation of the image of the Chinese diaspora in the South Korean media over the past eight years is studied, including the tendency of conservative media to negatively portray members of the Chinese diaspora. The need to reconsider the attitude of South Korean society towards the Chinese diaspora is emphasized.