In researching this, the most interesting thing for me was digging up statistics breaking down foreign residents by age. It was always clear there weren't many foreign children or elderly here, but it's nice to have it quantified (they only make up 8.2 percent of the foreign population, compared to a similar demographic making up 27.6 percent of the Korean population). Not taking that difference into account makes Korean crime rate seem more favourable than it is. Needless to say, E-2 visa holders have no children and likely no elderly among their numbers, so this approach to the Korean crime rate should also be applied when making comparisons with E-2 visa holders.
Thanks to Matt Lamers for publishing the article despite its last-minute nature, and to Benjamin Wagner for suggesting the overseas crime connection.
Matt asked for my sources, and since they're all compiled, I'll post them here for the curious:
Korea Herald article on Rep. Woo Yoon-Keun's statements.
KIS document 2장_Ⅱ_체류외국인현황:
SPO stats from the Wagner report page 20
CIA Korean population stats
KIS Document 2장_Ⅲ_2.국적및연령별 등록외국인현황
Korea Times article on banning foreign pedophiles
Marmot's Hole post on 2006 National Assembly Committee on Gender Equality study
Joongang Ilbo article on National Youth Commission findings about Kiribati
Chosun Ilbo article mentioning 2003 National Human Rights Commission survey
Korea Times article by Justice Minister Lee Kwi-nam
Good article! Fortunately, it's only in the English-language press, so "Korean society" can just ignore it and pretend it doesn't exist!
ReplyDeletePeople should stop subscribing to these rags (Korea Herald, Korea Times) and subscribe to JoongAng/IHT.
ReplyDeleteMaybe then these rags can go bust.
Andrew.
A piece that needed to be written.
ReplyDeleteIncidentally, I don't know what to make of comments like Marmot's and politicians who essentially say the same thing:
"I can’t really say that banning foreigners found guilty of raping Korean children from re-entering Korea is a bad thing (not that he says it is, of course), even if it fails to put foreign crime rates into context."
It just blows my mind that anyone would think that we need some kind of special law on the books to "BAN" foreign pedophiles from entering the country. The MOJ has pointed out time and time again that they have absolute discretion under the Immigration Act (art. 11) to exclude anyone they like.
"[P]ersons deemed likely to
cause danger and harm to the public health . . ." (Art. 11(1)1)
"Persons deemed likely to commit any act detrimental to national interests of the Republic of
Korea or public safety . . ." (Art. 11(1)3)
"Persons deemed likely to commit any act detrimental to economic or social order or good
morals . . ." (Art. 11(1)4)
And the fact is that no one really thinks a special law is needed for an instant, it's just fun to say it.
And sure you can pass redundant laws for things - if you really want to. Perhaps the next legislative session should take up banning foreign murderers from the country as well. And then perhaps foreign cannibals, foreign necrophiliacs, ad nauseasum.
Then when someone complains about there not really being many of those types around I can sweep in with a comment and say that, just the same, I can’t really say that banning foreigners found guilty of cannibalism or necrophilia from re-entering Korea is a bad thing...
You too, Baeksu. Yeesh, if only you could score me some good hash on Jongno. I guess you squarehead Americans from some wasteland town nobody knows win. Congrats, as the temporal heirs of the USAFK back when it was relevant. Christ, forgive Itaewon.
ReplyDelete