An Study on the Changing Process of Ethnic Identity of the Korean-Chinese in South Korea

The purpose of this study was to know the changing process of ethnic identity of the Korean-Chinese in South Korea. To this end, in-depth interviews with 12 Korean-Chinese Korean had been conducted in order to know how their ethnic identity was changing while they are settling in South Korea. Results had found that the changing of ethnic identity closely associated with their cultural adaptation process. There are three s changing stages of their ethnic identity. First, in the initial period of entering to South Korea, the Korean-Chinese were excited and filled with the hope for their ‘homeland’. Second, while integrating into mainstream society they feel the crisis of ethnic identity. Social exclusion led them to reconsider their own Korean-Chinese identity. Third, at the present stage there are three different cognitions for their own identity--Korean, Chinese, neither Chinese nor Korean. This study has offered a view to understand the acculturation process of the Korean-Chinese settling in South Korea. Without a doubt, their self-cognition of Received (January 14, 2016), Review Result (January 28, 2016) Accepted (February 4, 2016), Published (March 31, 2016) (Main Author)402-751 Dept. NO 304B Swohogwan 100 Inharo. Nam-gu Incheon, Korea email: haiying04@hanmail.net (Corresponding Author) 402-751 Dept. NO 304B Swohogwan 100 Inharo. Nam-gu Incheon, Korea email: garbochen@hanmail.net An Study on the changing process of ethnic identity of the Korean-Chinese in South Korea Copyright c 2016 HSST 404 ethnic identity has a big impact on social integration in South Korean. Therefore, Korea mainstream society with Korean-Chinese needs to work together on building their own healthy ethnic identity.