The Philippines and South Korea: A Sociological Tale of Two Countries Linked by Migration
Maruja M.B. Asis
Scalabrini Migration Center
In the 1970s, the Philippines and South Korea were among the Asian countries that responded to the call for workers by the oil-rich Gulf countries. By the 1990s, South Korea has transformed into a labor-receiving country, with the Philippines as one of the source-countries of workers for the Korean labor market. Much has been written about the Philippines mainly as an origin country and South Korea as a destination country. Using the migration system framework, this paper discusses how labor migration diversified and furthered exchanges between the two countries, leaving notable marks on the cultural and social landscape of both societies. The paper analyzes the links between the two countries as bi-directional, even as the nature of the flows and counter-flows may be different. Migration from the Philippines was initially temporary labor migration, but was later supplemented by the relatively permanent marriage migration. These developments invited different discourses in Korea – migrants’ rights in relation to migrant workers, and multiculturalism in relation to the issue of “foreign brides.” The “migration” of South Koreans to the Philippines seems to be less appreciated. In recent years, South Korea has emerged as the primary source-country of tourists in the Philippines, including large numbers of student-tourists who come to the country on a short-stay basis to study English. There are some indications, however, of a trend towards longer residence and the establishment (or visibility) of “Korean communities” in various cities in the country. Despite the fairly recent history of Korean presence in the country, it is a migration that has stirred some discussions in the Philippines. The paper suggests that an appreciation of the two-way flows of people, ideas and goods between the two countries can broaden possibilities for reciprocal and more equitable cooperation.