If you can't teach your kids to hate, who can you teach??

Last week I was reading something in the Korea Times about the new Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (FTA). Many people are obviously unhappy (a taxi driver in Seoul set himself on fire in protest of the FTA), while others seem pleased that the markets will be opening up. I read that in 2005 foreign investment in Korea was more than $9 billion U.S., but by 2006 had dropped to a little more than $4 billion U.S. Many Koreans are up in arms and wondering why foreign companies simply won't invest in the Korean economy. I think one of the causes of this a completely Korean made one.

If you've ever had the opportunity to live and work in Korea you'll know what I'm talking about. The Korean attitude towards those of other races, especially other Asian cultures is quiet frightening and sad. From the time they are in diapers, Korean children are taught by both family and teachers that they are a "pure" race and should look down upon others. When word spreads around the world that a country is rabidly xenophobic, it's no surprise that foreign companies don't want to invest in that place.

How does Korea's reputation for ignorance spread? Easily, when thousands of foreign language teachers hear their students, on a daily basis, throw around ignorant and racist comments about anyone non-Korean.

Example: (This really happened on Wednesday)
A low level class (very bright and young) had to complete an exercise where they have to finish a model sentence with their own words.

Model: "I...and my best friend...too."

Student Response: "I hate the Japanese and Chinese and my friend hates them too."

No joke. A very bright and friendly 8 year old boy said that with a huge grin on his face.
As we all know, young children are innocent. They don't develop ideas like this on their own. Ideas and thoughts like this are taught. Young children are not born hating other races and those from other countries. Who are the default role models of children? Well, for starters, their parents. Then of course, when they are of school age, their teachers become role models. These are the people who are charged with the responsibility of teaching and protecting the young. What happens when these people teach the youth of Korea to hate those who are not Korean? What happens when Korean children tell their foreign language teachers that Chinese people are dirty, Japanese are evil, Southeast Asians are sub-humans and that people from Africa are no more than monkeys?

What happens is that we go back home to our respective countries, Canada , the U.S. , England , etc. and we tell those we know all about it. The word spreads. The dubious reputation grows and then eventually, Koreans start to see the negative repercussions of their xenophobia. Foreign business people don't want to live and work in Korea . Some think twice about doing business with Korea . Foreign investment declines. It could be a reason (although I realize there are many others as well).

The Korea Times recently said that nearly 200,000 Korean students are currently abroad studying. Korean parents are forever going in debt in order to send their children to other countries in order to be educated. What I want to know is; how can Korean parents expect their children to thrive in multi-cultural countries, when they teach their children that they should look down upon those other cultures?

I've been around the block as a language teacher in Korea . From Seoul to Busan, I've seen no change in attitudes. What surprises me is when I meet bright students who have lived abroad for most of their lives harbor feelings of racism. But, I suppose if parents, teachers, television shows, documentaries and history books tell you something long enough, you believe it to be the truth. Here on the Korean penninsula they call it "pride", everywhere else in the world (and the world is a big place), they call it racism. It's a shame.