Koreans in Singapore

Ethnic group
|group=Koreans in Singapore
poptime=12,656 (2007)
langs=Korean, English, Chinese
rels=No data
related-c=Koreans

Koreans in Singapore were estimated to form a population of 12,656 individuals as of 2007 by South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Their population grew by over 80% as compared to just two years prior, making them the world's 19th-largest Korean diaspora community.citation|url=http://mofaweb.mofat.go.kr/emate-k15/aboardmanage.nsf/viewNavCategory1PeopleArea?readform&start=1&skin=skin01&viewname=view01area&frames=1&category=구주지역|title=재외국민/단체 (Overseas citizens/groups)|publisher=Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade|publication-place=Seoul, South Korea|date=2008|accessdate=2008-09-10] [citation|url=http://www.okf.or.kr/data/status_AS.jsp|title=재외동포현황 - 유럽 (Status of overseas compatriots - Europe)|publisher=Overseas Korean Foundation|date=2005|accessdate=2008-09-10]

Motivations for settlement

Singapore has become a popular destination for South Korean students and their parents, who see it as an ideal place to learn both English and Chinese, the two most popular foreign languages in South Korea. [citation|author=Shim|first=Doobo|chapter=Korean Women Television Viewers in Singapore|url=http://asiafuture.org/csps2006/50pdf/csps2006_3d.pdf|date=2006|title=Cultural Space and Public Sphere in Asia - An International Conference|accessdate=2007-05-13] citation|last=Plate|first=Tom|date=23 February, 2007|accessdate=2007-05-13|url=http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=64812|title=Woman power in Singapore's Media|periodical=AsiaMedia|publisher=University of California, Los Angeles] In 2006, the number of Koreans purchasing Singapore real estate jumped by 132% compared to 2005, with many purchasing as owner-occupiers as well as for investment purposes; following the increase in the Korean population, the number of restaurants and retailers aimed at the community is on the rise, and now includes two "ddeok" shops. [citation|periodical=International Herald Tribune|date=26 September, 2007|accessdate=2008-10-03|title=Singapore drawing more foreign investors|first=Sonia|last=Kolesnikov-Jessop|url=http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/09/26/properties/resinga.php] [citation|url=http://www.timeout.com/sg/en/aroundtown/feature/minority-report|periodical=Time Out Singapore|title=Minority Report|last=Dadds|first=Kimberley|last2=Franco|first2=Michael|date=18 August, 2008|accessdate=2008-10-03] [citation|title=Korean cakes rice to the occasion|last=Eu|first=Geoffrey|date=26 November, 2005|periodical=The Business Times|publication-place=Singapore|accessdate=2008-10-03|url=http://food.asia1.com.sg/revamp/gdfd/fea_20051126_001.shtml] South Korea's Andong General Hospital and Singapore's Gleneagles Hospital and Medical Centre established a clinic aimed at Koreans in Singapore as well as those living in Malaysia; initially staffed by a single Andong doctor assisted by a number of Korean-speaking attendants, the clinic cost SG$200,000 to set up. [citation|url=http://article.wn.com/link/WNATE3230B2CBE2C02A3F22314CCAF715C19?source=templategenerator&template=southeastasia/mainsearch.txt|title=Gleneagles, Andong General set up first Korean clinic here|periodical=The Business Times|publication-place=Singapore|date=12 October, 2004|accessdate=2008-09-19]

Singapore's only school for Korean nationals, the Singapore Korean School, was established on 17 February, 1993; as of 2005, it had 15 teachers and enrolled 100 students at the elementary school level. It conducts roughly two-thirds of its class hours in Korean, and one-third in English. [citation|url=http://www.interedu.go.kr/edu_net/overseas/sch_formal_inform.htm?no=13&page=2&key=|title=Overseas Korean Educational Institutions: 싱가폴한국학교|publisher=National Institute for International Education Development, Republic of Korea|date=2005|accessdate=2007-05-13] Its associated weekend school, opened at the same time, enrolled a total of 261 students at the elementary and middle school levels. [citation|url=http://www.interedu.go.kr/edu_net/overseas/sch_informal_inform.htm?no=739&page=9&key=2|publisher=National Institute for International Education Development, Republic of Korea|date=2005|accessdate=2007-05-13|title=Overseas Korean Educational Institutions: 싱가포르한국학교부설토요학교] However, many Korean students bypass the Korean International School entirely in order to take advantage of English-medium education at government or non-Korean international schools; as of 2008, Singaporean schools enrolled an estimated 6,500 Korean students. However, the Korean International School still projects rising student numbers, and in 2010 plans to move to a new campus with room for 500 students, five times as many as their current facilities. [citation|date=11 February, 2008|accessdate=2008-10-03|title=More Koreans enrolling in schools in Singapore|periodical=Channel NewsAsia|url=http://asia.news.yahoo.com/080211/5/singapore328027.html]

Notable people

*Eun Choo, wife of Eric Khoo [citation|periodical=The Straits Times|date=20 October , 2007|title=Life! Eric's coup|page=7]
*Joakim Gomez, Singapore Idol finalist (Korean and Indian parentage) [citation|url=http://www.singaporeidol.com/joakim.htm|publisher=Singapore Idol|date=2006|accessdate=2008-09-23|title=Contestants: The Top 12 - Joakim Gomez] [citation|periodical=The Straits Times|date=31 January, 2008|title=Urban TheBagPage–Joakim Gomez|page=24]
*Suzanne Jung, Channel Newsasia news anchor [citation|url=http://asia.news.yahoo.com/071031/5/singapore308886.html|title=Channel NewsAsia presenter Suzanne Jung honoured by SKorean govt|periodical=Yahoo! News|date=October 31, 2007|accessdate=2008-09-23]

ee also

*Filipinos in Singapore

References

External links

* [http://www.singkoschool.com/ Singapore Korean School]
* [http://www.koreansingapore.org/main.asp 싱가포르 한인회 (Korean Association of Singapore)]