Solidify the global Korean networks

The diaspora of Korean people involves different types of migrants. But the basic motivation was the human instinct to pursue a better life.

As of 2010, 3 percent of the world population has left their places of birth and lived as a pioneer in a foreign country. Asia produced the most immigrants with 77.89 million Asians living in another country, followed by 56.65 million from Europe, 36.2 million from the Americas, 30.6 million from Africa and 19 million from Oceania and elsewhere. For the overseas Korean population, 7.2 million have spread around 170 countries, with the most immigrating to the United States, China, Japan and Russia.

Just in time, the 2013 World Korean Community Leaders Convention (WKCLC) is to be held in Seoul from June 18-21 with a theme of “Creative Economy, Hopeful Korea: Koreans Around the World Coming Together!” The WKCLC has been faithfully playing the role of supporting the rights and interests of overseas Koreans, expansion of the Korean community networks, and mutual cooperation between the home country and its immigrant communities.

Korean community leaders should not be complacent with existing accomplishments and practices of predecessors and need to take the initiative in improving the operation of Korean community organizations, creating new jobs for the next generation of talent and seeking ways to make innovative contributions to the country they reside in, as well as Korea. The Overseas Koreans Foundation will also collaborate with various networks and improve the next generation of education to respond to the era of grand integration of global Korean networks. As the Republic of Korea aspires to make a new leap in the 21st century through a creative economy, overseas Koreans have great potential to participate and contribute as they are already actively involved in their specialty fields around the world. The 2013 World Korean Community Leaders Convention will offer an important opportunity to solidify the global Korean networks.

by Cho Kyu-hyeong, president of the Overseas Korean Foundation