A Model for Humane Ministry with Migrant Workers in Korea A Professional Project presented to the Faculty of the Claremont School of Theology In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Ministry By Hyun-Sung Choi May 2004 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. & CLAREMONT SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY This professional project, completed by Hyun-Sung Choi has been presented to and accepted by the Faculty of the Claremont School of Theology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF MINISTRY Faculty Committee: Michael A. Mata, Chairperson Stephen S. Kim Dean: John R. Fitzmier May 2004 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Abstract A Model for Humane Ministry with Migrant Workers in Korea by Hyun-Sung Choi Globalization in the past few decades has integrated the world economy into a complex whole, and today the international movements of production, capital, information, technology, trade and labor across the national borders are creating one giant global economy. Globalization is based on capitalism, so the few wealthy countries with huge capital and high technology control the economy and the welfare of the numerous destitute countries. Unfortunately, economic globalization has polarized the world into the wealthy and the poor. As a result, the poor countries are situated to continually witness the increase in poverty, the depression of economic growth, and the structural unemployment while the wealthy countries continue to be prosperous. In Asia, this global economic system raised the newly industrial countries such as South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore and Hong Kong. Since 1960, these countries have accepted economic development policy with economic technology and capitals from the West earlier than other Asia’s countries. These newly industrial countries have rapidly achieved a big success of economic development which is called ‘Asian miracle.’ On the contrary, economic growth of these countries not only has created serious production and price competition with other competitor countries but also has brought a decrease in population caused by the trend of birth control. These phenomena caused a lack of i Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. workers for “3-D type industry.”1 Most employers running “3-D type industry” in these countries have been in need of hiring cheap workers in order to survive their businesses. This situation has brought in a huge mobility of cheap laborers from poor countries to seek work in the newly industrial countries. Since 1988, migrant workers from poor countries have increasingly entered Korea as the country started importing laborers. The increase of migrant workers in Korea results from both industrial owners’ demand to carry out their businesses with a lower cost, and migrant workers’ desire to look for jobs out of their homeland. Most of migrant workers in Korea work under unfair and inhumane treatments: frequently delayed salaries, enforced overtime work, unreasonably low wages, malignant violence, and abusive language at work place, etc. In addition, the workers suffer from unfavorable migrant policies, industrial disasters, or medical problems. They also live in cultural indifference and ethnic prejudice from Korean society. Now, the number of international migrant workers in Korea is about 400,000, and the Korean churches face a serious challenge to take care of migrant workers. This project focuses on advocating for the human rights of migrant workers in Korea to bring about social justice in Korean society for migrant workers as well as helping the church to do humane ministry working in cooperation with migrant workers. First, this study reviews the history of migrant workers in Korea and the Korean churches’ ministry for and with migrant workers. Then, this study analyzes results found through historical research and the recent situation on issues of the church’s ministry with migrant workers. Finally, this study seeks to explore biblical and 1 See “3-D type industry” in Definitions of Major Terms on page 4. ii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. theological foundations for an appropriated strategy for humane ministry with migrant workers. A claim is made here that the God of righteousness in the Old Testament that liberated the Israelites is the same God who will liberate migrant workers in today’s Korean society. Such a theology of righteous God is complemented by the New Testament’s God of love in Jesus Christ who is in favor of the oppressed people everywhere. Lastly, this project is to develop some programs that are designed as an educational and practical tool for church’s ministry working with supporting agencies (individuals, public institutions, associations and private sectors) and migrant workers in Korea. This model for humane ministry builds up a new vision for the Korean churches in the twenty first century to carry out potential missionary work, and hopefully this model will help vitalize the Christian sense of call to do God’s ministry for and with migrant workers. 111 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter Page 1. Introduction..........................................................................................................................1 Problem Addressed by the Project..............................................................................1 Importance of the Problem.........................................................................................1 Thesis............................................................................................................................3 Definitions of Major Terms........................................................................................3 Work Previously Done in the Field...........................................................................8 Scope and Limitations of the Project.......................................................................12 Procedure for Integration..........................................................................................13 Chapter Outlines........................................................................................................13 2. Globalization and the Mobility of Labor.......................................................................15 Globalization and Its Influence on the Labor.........................................................15 Migrant Workers in Asia...........................................................................................17 Mechanism of Migrant Workers in Asia..................................................................19 Summary. ................................................................................................................22 3. Migrant Workers, Issues and Church Ministry in Korea..............................................24 Definition of Migrant Workers in Korea................................................................24 A Korean Dream.......................................................................................................25 Understanding the Korean Culture, Economic Development and Policy............27 Category and Current Situation of Migrant Workers in Korea.............................28 Facing the Issues of Migrant Workers in Korea.....................................................30 iv Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Ethnic Issue 32 Labor Issue........................................................................................................34 Wage Issue.........................................................................................................35 Industrial Disaster and Medical Issues...........................................................36 Cultural and Religious Issues.........................................................................37 Conspectus of the Relation between the Korean Church and Migrant Workers in Korea...............................................................................................38 History of the Korean Church Ministry to Migrant Workers in Korea..............39 Shelter Service..................................................................................................40 Medical Assistance..........................................................................................41 Counseling Service..........................................................................................41 Other Services...................................................................................................41 Summary...................................................................................................................42 4. Biblical Perspective and Reflection.............................................................................46 Introduction..............................................................................................................46 Pa, roikoj in the New Testament...........................................................................47 Pa,roikoj (rGE) in the Old Testament....................................................................51 The Good Samaritan and the Lord’s Favor...........................................................56 Summary and Reflection........................................................................................59 5. Theological Perspective on Migrant Ministry.............................................................64 Outlook for Human Rights and Social Justice......................................................64 Cultural Value, Religious Perspective and Spirituality of Migrant Workers in Korea..............................................................................................67 Theological Focus on the Biblical Foundations (Luke 4: 18-19; Matthew 25: 31-46) for Migrant Ministry......................................................71 v Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. The Work of the Church and Christians Led by the Holy Spirit...........................76 Migrant Ministry and the Role of the Church........................................................78 Conclusion.................................................................................................................83 6. A Modeling for Humane Ministry with Migrant Workers in Korea............................87 Building Relationship between Migrant Workers and Community.....................88 Role of the Supporting Agencies in Local Community..........................................88 Individuals..........................................................................................................88 Public Institutions..............................................................................................88 Associations........................................................................................................89 Private Sectors...................................................................................................90 Migrant Workers................................................................................................90 Contents of the Program...........................................................................................91 Attitude of Participants toward the Program...................................................91 Section I: Worship and Activity........................................................................92 Section II: Education.........................................................................................92 Section III: Field Trip........................................................................................93 Section IV: Individual and Social Support......................................................94 Section V: Cooperation.....................................................................................95 Section VI: Survey and Application................................................................96 Appendixes A. Rights of Migrant Workers found in two UN Instruments (The International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and their Families/ the Universal Declaration of Human Rights).........................................................................97 vi Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. B. Application for Participating in Ministry for/ with Migrant workers (For an Individual supporter)............................................................................99 C. Program Schedule...........................................................................................102 D. Survey Form for Migrant Workers in Korea................................................103 Bibliography..........................................................................................................................114 vii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 1 Chapter 1 Introduction Problem Addressed by the Project The problem addressed by this project is the issue of the human rights of increasing number of migrant workers in Korea who have suffered from social, political and economic injustices and whose numbers continue to rise rapidly. This problem demands that the Korean churches intervene and support migrant workers with a more effective model of ministry which reflects an humane perspective on the changing issues and circumstances of globalization. Importance of the Problem Migrant workers in Korea are classified into two groups in terms of human rights and economic or social treatment. One group consists of professionals and highly skilled workers who are usually from developed countries and generally receive fair treatment in Korea. The other group, on which this project focuses, is comprised of industrial trainees and unskilled laborers who come from poor countries in Southeast Asia, South Asia and some the Arab states. Globalization of the world economy led to the shortage of workers who carry out “3D-type industry.” The international markets have been insufficiently competitive, so industries only survive in the market by adopting the low wage policies for its workers. Those industries make an effort to hire migrant workers as cheap laborers. These workers come to Korea to escape poverty and unemployment even if they receive much lower wages than Korean workers. Even so, employment opportunities attract migrant Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.