ASIEN: The German Journal on Contemporary Asia

Titelei

Die Redaktion — 2024-12-19

Transnational Dynamics: The Social Activism of Korean Immigrants and Their Descendants in Germany

Jaok Kwon — 2024-12-19

Arbeitsverhalten und Widerstand in den kollektiven Erzählungen südkoreanischer Bergarbeiter in Westdeutschland

Sang-Hui Nam — 2024-12-19

This article examines the working behavior and resistance of South Korean miners sent to West Germany in the 1960s and 1970s as guest workers. Drawing on Alf Lüdtke’s scholarship (1989, 1993), the concept of „Eigen-Sinn“ is applied to illustrate the nature of these miners’ behavior, examining whether and in what contexts it is linked to resistance. Autobiographical narratives and media reports, among other sources, form the empirical data. To begin with, the selection process for miners sent abroad is cast against the backdrop of the socioeconomic inequalities existing between South Korea and West Germany. Next, the social construction of reality on arrival in Europe is outlined. Basic elements such as prevailing mood and emotional state, experiencing a confined living space, and the meaning of work are presented as key elements. Focus is then directed toward the self-willed behavior of these miners and, furthermore, to its relationship to protest. First, the coping with their daily work challenges is depicted. Second, everyday struggles with coworkers are scrutinized in relation to spontaneous and coordinated activism. In concluding, the insights gained regarding the relationship between Eigen-Sinn and resistance are elaborated on and the overall findings summarized.

Transnational Aspirations and the May 18 Spirit: The Legacy and Social Remittance of Korean Immigrants in Germany

Jin-Heon Jung — 2024-12-19

This paper examines the transnational impact of the May 18 Democratic Movement on Korean immigrants in Germany, focusing on concepts of “transformation,” “social remittance,” and “aspiration.” Through extensive ethnographic research, including participant observation and in-depth interviews, explored is how the spirit of May 18 has gone beyond its origins in 1980s Gwangju to influence the lives and identities of Korean migrants in the decades since, too. These individuals, having undergone significant transformations to their identity, continue to engage in transnational activism, driven by aspirations of democracy, human rights, and reunification. It is argued that the intangible social remittances these migrants transmit — as embodied in their emotional connections, cultural practices, and shared values — play a crucial role in sustaining and expanding the spirit of May 18’s legacy across borders. By situating these narratives within the broader context of global civil society, the study highlights the ongoing relevance of the May 18 Democratic Movement in shaping contemporary aspirations and fostering transnational solidarity.

Contested Transnational Memory Space of “Comfort Women”: The Korean Diaspora’s Civic Engagement in Germany

Ah-Hyun Angela Lee — 2024-12-19

On December 14, 2011, the first P’yŏnghwaŭi Sonyŏsang, also known as the “Statue of a Girl for Peace,” was built in front of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, South Korea. Since then, replicas have been installed in global cities such as Berlin, New York, Shanghai, Sydney, and Toronto. The bronze memorial represents Korean “comfort women” — a euphemism referring to Japanese military sexual slavery during the Second World War — and serves as a mnemonic platform. In Germany, the “comfort women” memorial was erected and exhibited in multiple cities, primarily due to the Korean diaspora through its activities earning the solidarity of local communities on this issue. Seeking to install these memorials has led diverse actors to collaborate both locally and transnationally, meanwhile meeting with resistance from the Japanese government. Based on interviews with the individuals who established the memorials as well as German and Korean newspaper sources, I investigate how the Korean diaspora worked together with the German local community to shift the “comfort women” issue into a global memory space. I argue that this solidarity was based on universal and particular identifications with the memorial in question, highlighting the potential for transnational memory to be shared beyond ethnic and national boundaries and contributing to the extraterritorial quality of cosmopolitan memory.

“Who Are Us and Them Today?” Dynamics of Korean Migrant Identity revealed via an Online Social Movement in Germany

Sunyoung Park — 2024-12-19

The nature of Koreans’ migration to Germany has become increasingly diverse over the decades, encompassing varying age groups, purposes, socioeconomic statuses, and durations of stay. This process aligns with the concept of “superdiversity” in the landscape of international migration, eliciting the complex sociocultural transformations that lead to dynamic shifts in group identity. The paper aims to present a contemporary overview of Korean migrants’ identity in Germany by examining a 2019 online social movement sparked by one German company’s discriminatory television advertisement. Focus is on internal contestation over defining who the “us” are in Germany, shedding light on why a clear divide between nationalist and transnationalist identities manifested on two respective social media platforms. Thematic analysis of the online debates occurring among Koreans reveals the complex nature of group-identity formation through the five stages of the movement’s lifespan, with members of each community simultaneously navigating historical and sociopolitical issues in Korea, Japan, and Germany alike. Findings resonate with numerous studies on intergroup conflict within migrant communities, particularly over the values respectively upheld by older and younger people of shared origins. Migrant identities are thus multifaceted and context-dependent, being shaped by interaction with various sociocultural groups. Ultimately, the importance of considering “superdiversity” a central framework for grasping the complexities of contemporary migrant experiences and identities is emphasized.