Koreans in Indonesia

Ethnic group
|group=Koreans in Indonesia
population=23,205
regions=Jakarta, Tangerang, Surabaya, Bandung
langs=Korean, English
rels=Christianity, Buddhism;fact|date=September 2008 small minority Islamcite news|url=http://www.thejakartapost.com/community/korea3.asp|publisher=The Jakarta Post|title=Dynamic Korea: Muslims, a minority among minorities|accessdate=2007-05-14] cite news|title=Dr Ali Ann Sun Gun: Kegiatan Dakwah di Korsel Sangat Intens|publisher=Republika Online|language=Indonesian|url=http://www.republika.co.id/suplemen/cetak_detail.asp?mid=5&id=273903&kat_id=105&kat_id1=147&kat_id2=269]
related-c=Koreans

Koreans in Indonesia numbered 23,025 individuals as of 2005, making them the 12th-largest population of overseas Koreans, according to South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade; some local population estimates put their numbers even higher, at between 30,000 and 50,000 people.cite web|url=http://www.mofat.go.kr/mofat/mk_a006/mk_b037/1189818_634.html|publisher=Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Republic of Korea|date=2005|accessdate=2007-05-14|title=2005년도 재외동포현황 (2005 Present Status of Overseas Compatriots)] cite news|url=http://www.dongponews.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=7979|publisher=Jae'oe Dongpo Sinmun|title=인도네시어의 한인들: 지구촌 리포트 (Koreans of Indonesia: Global Village Report)|date=2006-04-19|accessdate=2007-05-14|last=Han|first=Sang-jae]

History

The Korean presence in Indonesia goes back several decades. The Jakarta International Korean School in East Jakarta opened on 1 February, 1975, and as of 2007 enrolled 719 elementary school students, 357 middle school students, and 375 high school students. [cite web|title=Overseas Korean Educational Institutions: 자카르타한국국제학교|publisher=National Institute for International Educational Development, Republic of Korea|date=2007|accessdate=2007-05-14|url=http://www.interedu.go.kr/edu_net/overseas/sch_formal_inform.htm?no=14&page=2&key=] It is thus the largest Korean day school in Southeast Asia, at more than twice the enrollment of the one in Ho Chi Minh City. [cite web|url=http://www.interedu.go.kr/edu_net/overseas/sch_formal_inform.htm?no=15&page=3&key=|title=Overseas Korean Educational Institutions: 호치민시한국학교|publisher=National Institute for International Education Development, Republic of Korea|date=2007|accessdate=2007-05-15] A Koreatown began to form in South Jakarta's Kebayoran Baru subdistrict as early as 1982, when Kim Woo-jae opened a shop selling "kimchi" and "doenjang". [cite news|url=http://www.thejakartapost.com/community/korea4.asp|title=More converge around 'Little Korea' in Jakarta|publisher=The Jakarta Post|accessdate=2007-05-14] The Indonesian branch of the Korean Muslim Federation also opened in 1982; they sponsored 22 Muslims from South Korea to come to Indonesia as students in 1983 and 1984 to study in local universities and better understand Islam. According to their figures, as of 2005, there were only 50 Korean Muslims in Indonesia, including those who had converted while living there.

Distribution

Aside from the Koreatown in Kebayoran Baru, several thousand Koreans also live in the vicinity of Tangerang, 20km west of Jakarta; a large number of Korean businesses are concentrated in the Lippo Karawaci development, where 80% of all shops are Korean-owned. [cite news|title=Koreans made to feel at home in their village in Karawaci|last=Nurbianto|first=Bambang|publisher=The Jakarta Post|accessdate=2007-05-14|url=http://www.thejakartapost.com/community/korea2.asp] In the Jakarta area, residential distribution of Koreans is often based on profession; for example, those near Tangerang are involved in shoe manufacturing, while those in Bekasi work in the electronics industry. Bogor and Cibubur also have large concentrations of Koreans. Farther away from Jakarta, Korean nationals are also served by two other weekend schools, the Surabaya Hangul School (founded 1 January, 1989, enrolling 42 students at the kindergarten and elementary levels), and the Bandung Hangul School (founded 1 March, 1992, enrolling 66 students at the kindergarten through middle school levels). [cite web|title=Overseas Korean Educational Institutions: 수라바야한글학교|publisher=National Institute for International Educational Development, Republic of Korea|date=2007|accessdate=2007-05-14|url=http://www.interedu.go.kr/edu_net/overseas/sch_informal_inform.htm?no=784&page=7&key=2] [cite web|title=Overseas Korean Educational Institutions: 반동한글학교|publisher=National Institute for International Educational Development, Republic of Korea|date=2007|accessdate=2007-05-14|url=http://www.interedu.go.kr/edu_net/overseas/sch_informal_inform.htm?no=783&page=7&key=2] Semarang is another area mentioned as having a large number of Koreans, though they lack any Korean-language educational facilities there. Bali, a popular destination for Korean tourists, has also begun to attracting some scattered Korean entrepreneurs.

ee also

*Indonesian Chinese
*Indonesians in South Korea

References

External links

* [http://www.jiks.com Jakarta International Korean School]
* [http://www.inkinet.net InKiNet: Internet Community for Koreans in Indonesia]