Koreans in Indonesia
Encyclopedia
Koreans in Indonesia numbered 31,760 individuals , making them the 13th-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 as many as 50,000 people.
: 양칠성; Hanja
: ) was an ethnic Korean.
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. 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
. 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
.
, 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. 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). 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.
) and one Buddhist temple of the Jogye Order
in the Jabodetabek area. Muslims form a smaller minority of the Korean community. The Indonesian branch of the Korean Muslim Federation 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.
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (South Korea)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade is in charge of diplomacy for South Korea, as well as handling external trade and matters related to overseas Korean nationals. It was established on 17 July 1948. Until 1998, the ministry was known as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; its jurisdiction over...
; some local population estimates put their numbers even higher, at as many as 50,000 people.
Migration history
One of the leading figures of the Indonesian independence movement, Komarudin (Korean name: Yang Chil-seong; HangulHangul
Hangul,Pronounced or ; Korean: 한글 Hangeul/Han'gŭl or 조선글 Chosŏn'gŭl/Joseongeul the Korean alphabet, is the native alphabet of the Korean language. It is a separate script from Hanja, the logographic Chinese characters which are also sometimes used to write Korean...
: 양칠성; Hanja
Hanja
Hanja is the Korean name for the Chinese characters hanzi. More specifically, it refers to those Chinese characters borrowed from Chinese and incorporated into the Korean language with Korean pronunciation...
: ) was an ethnic Korean.
The Korean presence in Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
goes back several decades. The Jakarta International Korean School in East Jakarta
East Jakarta
East Jakarta is a city within Jakarta Special District, Indonesia. It had a population of 2,687,027 at the 2010, making it the most populous of the five cities within Jakarta....
opened on 1 February 1975, and as of 2007 enrolled 719 elementary school students, 357 middle school students, and 375 high school students. It is thus the largest Korean day school in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
, at more than twice the enrollment of the one in Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City , formerly named Saigon is the largest city in Vietnam...
. A Koreatown
Koreatown
Koreatown is a term to describe a Korean ethnic enclave within a city or metropolitan area. Similar terms may include Little Seoul or Little Korea.-Beijing:There are more than 150,000 Koreans living in Beijing...
began to form in South Jakarta
South Jakarta
South Jakarta is a city within Jakarta Special District, Indonesia. It had a population of 2,057,080 at the 2010 Census, and is the third most populous among the five cities of Jakarta, after East Jakarta and West Jakarta...
's Kebayoran Baru
Kebayoran Baru
Kebayoran Baru is a subdistrict of South Jakarta, Jakarta, Indonesia. Kebayoran Baru is the last residential area to be developed by the Dutch colonial administration. The urban planning consists of a well-planned residential areas, shopping centers, and business district, complete with its...
subdistrict as early as 1982, when Kim Woo-jae opened a shop selling kimchi
Kimchi
Kimchi , also spelled gimchi, kimchee, or kim chee, is a traditional fermented Korean dish made of vegetables with varied seasonings. There are hundreds of varieties of kimchi made with a main vegetable ingredient such as napa cabbage, radish, green onions or cucumber. It is the most common...
and doenjang
Doenjang
Doenjang is a traditional Korean fermented soybean paste. Its name literally means "thick paste" in Korean.-Production:...
.
Distribution
Aside from the Koreatown in Kebayoran Baru, several thousand Koreans also live in the vicinity of TangerangTangerang
Tangerang is a city in the Province of Banten, Indonesia. It is located about 25 km west of Jakarta. It is the third largest urban center in the Jabotabek region after Jakarta and Bekasi. It has an area of 164.54 km² and an official intercensal estimated population of 1,537,244 for 2005...
, 20km west of Jakarta; a large number of Korean businesses are concentrated in the Lippo Karawaci
Lippo Karawaci
Lippo Karawaci is a planned community in Tangerang, west of Jakarta, Indonesia. Previously a swamp area, it was opened in 1993 and is today a benchmark for Indonesia's "other" urban developments....
development, where 80% of all shops are Korean-owned. 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
Bekasi
Bekasi is a city in West Java, Indonesia, located on the eastern border of Jakarta in the Jabodetabek metropolitan region. To the south is Bogor Regency, east is Bekasi Regency....
work in the electronics industry. Bogor
Bogor
Bogor is a city on the island of Java in the West Java province of Indonesia. The city is located in the center of the Bogor Regency , 60 kilometers south of the Indonesian capital Jakarta...
and Cibubur
Cibubur
Cibubur is a suburb of Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia. There is a high degree of environmental damage by its industry. Cibubur is the site of an SOS Children's Village....
also have large concentrations of Koreans. Farther away from Jakarta, Korean nationals are also served by two other weekend schools, the Surabaya
Surabaya
Surabaya is Indonesia's second-largest city with a population of over 2.7 million , and the capital of the province of East Java...
Hangul
Hangul
Hangul,Pronounced or ; Korean: 한글 Hangeul/Han'gŭl or 조선글 Chosŏn'gŭl/Joseongeul the Korean alphabet, is the native alphabet of the Korean language. It is a separate script from Hanja, the logographic Chinese characters which are also sometimes used to write Korean...
School (founded 1 January 1989, enrolling 42 students at the kindergarten and elementary levels), and the Bandung
Bandung
Bandung is the capital of West Java province in Indonesia, and the country's third largest city, and 2nd largest metropolitan area in Indonesia, with a population of 7.4 million in 2007. Located 768 metres above sea level, approximately 140 km southeast of Jakarta, Bandung has cooler...
Hangul School (founded 1 March 1992, enrolling 66 students at the kindergarten through middle school levels). Semarang
Semarang
- Economy :The western part of the city is home to many industrial parks and factories. The port of Semarang is located on the north coast and it is the main shipping port for the province of Central Java. Many small manufacturers are located in Semarang, producing goods such as textiles,...
is another area mentioned as having a large number of Koreans, though they lack any Korean-language educational facilities there. Bali
Bali
Bali is an Indonesian island located in the westernmost end of the Lesser Sunda Islands, lying between Java to the west and Lombok to the east...
, a popular destination for Korean tourists, has also begun to attracting some scattered Korean entrepreneurs.
Religion
The directory of the Korean Association in Indonesia listed 14 Korean churches (of various denominations including PresbyterianismPresbyterianism
Presbyterianism refers to a number of Christian churches adhering to the Calvinist theological tradition within Protestantism, which are organized according to a characteristic Presbyterian polity. Presbyterian theology typically emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Scriptures,...
) and one Buddhist temple of the Jogye Order
Jogye Order
The Jogye Order, officially the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism is the representative order of traditional Korean Buddhism with roots that date back 1,200 years to Unified Silla National Master Doui, who brought Seon and the practice taught by the Sixth Patriarch, Huineng, from China about 820...
in the Jabodetabek area. Muslims form a smaller minority of the Korean community. The Indonesian branch of the Korean Muslim Federation 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.
See also
- Indonesian Chinese
- Indonesians in South KoreaIndonesians in South KoreaIndonesians in South Korea numbered 29,859 individuals as of 2009, according to South Korean government statistics. More than 90% of those are estimated to be migrant workers employed on short-term contracts...
- Japanese migration to IndonesiaJapanese migration to IndonesiaLarge-scale Japanese migration to Indonesia dates back to the late 19th century, though there was limited trade contact between Indonesia and Japan as early as the 17th century. There is a large population of Japanese expatriates in Indonesia, estimated at 11,263 people...