A North Korean Refugee Student's Learning Experience in South Korean School

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 19
  In Roundtable Session: Stories of Immigration, Migration, and Education

Abstract

There has been an increasing number of North Korean refugee students in South Korea and they had experienced great difficulties in schools. Nevertheless, little is known about what it is like for North Korean refugee students to learn in South Korean schools. This study aimed to investigate the North Korean refugee student’s learning experience in South Korean school. In particular, the marginalized learning experience was explored employing a narrative inquiry. The marginalized experience was interpreted as four themes; erasing the North Korean school experience, not having what is regarded as common sense in South Korea, being caught up with a myth of meritocracy, having repeated failure. The findings suggest that collaborative efforts to transform Korean schooling are needed.

Authors

• Jisoo Kim, Ewha Womans University

• Kyounghye Seo, Ewha Womans University