Really, I think there is something to be said for Korean Xenophobia. Rather, something should be said because I think Koreans don’t consider themselves to be xenophobic. I can’t fathom why not. I mean, just own it, embrace the truth of it, and then do something to change it. Unless of course there is an underlying sentiment that embraces the truth and thinks its beneficial to the country. Though in an age of globalization I can hardly see that being likely. However, that being said this is Korea and I sometimes just throw my hands up in the air as to the goings on and the rationale behind it.
This has come up because only a few days ago there was a horrible fire in Incheon. The blaze killed forty warehouse workers. My sympathies and condolences go out to all the families. I won’t even touch on the cause of the fire being blamed on ignorance and carelessness. It just makes me shake my head in bewilderment that something so obvious as flammable vapors in an enclosed space can be overlooked when there are people on the premises working.
The kicker for me though is that some of the workers involved happened to be of Chinese or Korean-Chinese descent and it seems as though the families of these workers were not notified of there loved one being killed. The families themselves raise the question of foreigners being neglected and mistreated. One family member even asked, “Had we been Koreans, would have you treated us like this?”
Considering the way Korean news papers treat foreigners I’m going to go out on a limb and say probably not. I guess someone might lamely argue that the legal status of the workers might have prevented the families from being notified, but I think that’s a pretty weak argument. There should be a level of basic human rights extended toward anyone and everyone in your country whether they are there legally or not
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Of course this makes me dwell on New Orleans and Katrina and the way my own government simply turned its back and how my President washed his hands of the whole ordeal and pretends like it never happened. Though that has less to do with xenophobia and more to do with class issues.
Any thoughts?
