Zainichi Koreans Today

I had 2 great experiences and these experiences made me think that Zainichi Koreans or any other Koreans are the same as we(Japanese) are. However, as we watched movies (Pacchigi and Go), there are still people who discriminate Zainichi Koreans in Japan. But, in this cultural activity(below) we did in a school, Japanese can make friends with them and we can have better understand about them so I hope that many schools do some kinds of activity.

First, I went to an elementary school that is next to “Kongougakuenn”. “kongougakuen” is a school that only Zainichi Koreans and other Korean go to and we had many chances to talk to them and do a lot of activity. We did Korean culture together such as ”Kyusyougatu”(Korean New Year). In Korea, there are another new year celebration time. Like this, Japanese and Koreans go together and hang out.

Second, in a junior high school, some friends belonged to a club that people talk about their mothers or fathers and do Korean culture. They don’t keep secrets. Also, in a school, Japanese didn’t discriminate those Korean people and Koreans are very proud of their father and mother. In the movie, Japanese hate and discriminate them. However, in my school, it doesn’t happen. I know that some people still hate Korean or Chinese people in Japan, but there are many human and we shouldn’t decide where they are born.

Finally, When people discriminate or speak ill of them, they just don’t have better understanding about others. Therefore, as I experienced above, we need to communicate and hang out together at the early stage of your life. Sometimes people say that learning culture or languages and hang out them is not really important, but doing these things in your elementary school or junior high school gives a lot of effect in your life especially when they are young. If you have those friends (even if they are not Zainichi Koreans such as dark-skinned people or other), you cannot do stupid things.
Japanese who don’ t well understand foreigners hurt them badly as we see the lecture slides. For example, they don’t throw ocha or natto away. I really hope that Japanese don’ t do things like that in the future.

 

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2 thoughts on “Zainichi Koreans Today

  1. I do agree with this idea. Koreans and Japanese can be a real good friend each other, and Korean kids are as same as Japanese students.
    I liked the idea of Japanese school`s scheme for get familiar with Korean, not discriminate but step closer without thinking about history. I think this happens a lot in now and also especially in Kansai area. Like the writer`s school I want more Japanese schools to take more close relationship with Korean. Those steps will made the little change and those little changes will bring the Japanese society whole changes.

  2. I think that to make good relationship between people whose background is different from each other, we need make individual relationship.
    It is not only the case of People whoese cultural backgrounds are different, it can apply to the all the human relationship.
    But I’ll mention about how those people like whose cultural backgrounds are different.

    Here is a example. I’d like to introduce activity of a certain NGO,” Seeds of Peace”.
    Briefly explain, this NGO keep taking action for solving problem of the people whose cultural backgrounds are different , and what worese, they hate each other because of the conflict over several decades.
    For example, palestinan and Israel people.
    I will not explain the details of the NGO, what I want to learn from it is that it is quite important for people to dialogue face to face.
    We cannot deny that people have prejudice and discriminational mind. however I’m sure that to dialogue face to face over and over will lead us to make individual relationship and understand eachother. This is one step for better future in our society, I think.

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