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“Koreans’ social distance toward people from different countries has not changed greatly in the past 10 years,” wrote Kim Seok-ho, a sociology professor at Seoul National University, in a 2019 report.
“Both in 2008 and 2018, Koreans were most inclusive toward Americans and Europeans, while they considered being most distanced from the Chinese and Southeast Asians.”
Koreans tend to be more welcoming toward white people from developed countries but disregard those from countries with lower economic status, Kim wrote, adding that studies indicate this general perception is subject to change depending on how much interaction the individuals have had with foreigners.
“Those with high economic and educational background are very much favorable of Japanese, European and Americans, but those in lower brackets are very negative toward people from all countries,” Kim added.
A popular explanation for favoritism toward white people is that Korea has absorbed ideas about racial hierarchy from the US military forces stationed in the country, and that as a developed country Korean looks down upon those from economically weaker countries.
A survey of 207 foreigners in Korea by a local media outlet called the Segye Ilbo showed last year that 66.3 percent of respondents said Black people faced the greatest discrimination in the country, whereas 30.4 percent said this was true for those of Asian descent.
