Korean, Chinese, or What? : Identity Transformations of Chosŏnjok (Korean Chinese) Migrant Brides in South Korea

Abstract

Chosŏnjok migrant brides are Korean Chinese women who married South Korean men (hereafter Korean men). The number of Chosŏnjok migrant brides increased rapidly until recently due to the attempts of the central and local governments of Korea to resolve bride shortages in rural areas in the early 1990s and the Koreans' preference for ethnic Korean brides over non-Korean foreign brides. Currently there are more than 26,000 Chosŏnjok migrant brides in Korea. Due to the drastic changes to their post-migration lives in their ethnic homeland of Korea, most Chosŏnjok migrant brides experience changes in their ethno-national identity(ies). This paper investigates this process and the underlying reasons for these post-ethnic return migration identity changes. It also looks at the types of identity changes that occur through in-depth interviews with 22 Chosŏnjok migrant brides in Korea.