Afghan children find it hard to adapt to life in Ulsan

Students of Seoboo elementary school in Ulsan head to classes on the first day of spring semester, March. 2. Korea Times photo by Kim Kang-min

School admission hobbled by Korean parents' protests

By Lee Hyo-jin

ULSAN ― While students of Seoboo elementary school in Ulsan headed to classes on the first day of the spring semester on March 2, 9-year-old Zainab from Afghanistan, who moved to the southeastern port city last month, had to stay at home.

She asked her parents when she would be able to join her peers at school, but neither of them gave her a clear answer, which left the girl more puzzled.

Her father, Gul Agha (as he prefers to identify himself), could not tell his daughter the truth: due to fierce protests from their Korean neighbors, it remains unclear when Zainab would be able to attend the public school.

Zainab is not alone.

In fact, she is among 28 Afghan children in Ulsan who could not make it to school on the first day after vacation. They settled in their new homes in early February after their parents found jobs at a subcontractor for shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries based in the port city some 300 kilometers from Seoul.

Afghans who helped the Korean government's activities in their country arrive at Incheon International Airport with their family, Aug. 27. Yonhap

In August of last year, 391 Afghans ― 156 adults and 235 children ― who were designated as "special contributors" by the Korean government were airlifted to the country after their homeland fell into the hands of the Taliban.

After completing a six-month social integration program in Jincheon, North Chungcheong Province and Yeosu in South Jeolla Province, 157 of them resettled in Dong District of Ulsan.

As elementary school admission in Korea is determined by a child's home address, the children aged between 7 and 12 were set to begin their school life at Seoboo elementary school.

However, some parents of the school have been protesting against the government's "unilateral" decision to move the Afghan evacuees to their region, as well as allocating their children to the school.

Parents of students attending Seoboo elementary school in Ulsan hold a press conference in Dong District Office, Feb. 17, in protest against the authorities' decision to admit 28 Afghan students to the school. Newsis

On Feb. 17, the angered parents organized a press conference calling on the city government to retract the decision. They held placards reading, "Come up with measures to send our children to school in peace," and "Consider sending them to international school."

Their presence being unwelcomed in the local community has made the Afghan evacuees become extremely anxious about their future.

"I'm very concerned," Gul Agha said during an interview with The Korea Times, March 9. "When my children ask me when they can go to school, I tell them there are some technical issues in registering their names. Telling them about the protests would very bad for them…"

Zainab's father, who wished to be identified as Gul Agha, speaks during a Zoom interview with The Korea Times, March 9. Captured via Zoom

"My wife is very concerned about our future. She is very stressed and depressed," he said.

Gul Agha said he would like to rectify the misunderstanding some Korean residents have about the cultural and religious backgrounds of Afghan evacuees and let them know that they are not "extremists" who misuse the name of religion.

"We have worked a long time with the Korean government. We are familiar with Korean culture and we respect all culture and religious beliefs," he said. "My wife was an English teacher. We are not dangerous people."

"If we get a chance to meet them (Korean parents), we will explain our situation, feelings and our beliefs regarding our children," he added.

Separation or segregation?

Nevertheless, the Korean parents insist that the Afghan children should receive basic education at a separate facility for at least six months before letting them into local schools to study with their children.

"Everything happened so suddenly. We heard about the settlement of the Afghan evacuees through news articles only three days before they moved in here," said Hong Hyun-jin, a mother of two children who go to Seoboo elementary school. "We, the residents, were totally left out from the decision-making process."

Lee Jae-won, who represents the parents of the school, said the authorities should not push ahead with the admission of the Afghan students.

"The city education office says the school will be ready to accept them in a couple of weeks, but we don't think so," said Lee.

"Realistically speaking, with their level of Korean language, it will be extremely difficult for them to properly communicate with their classmates and teachers. It will take more than a year for them to adapt to school life," he added.

Hong and Lee expressed concerns that conflicts may arise in the classroom between the Korean and Afghan students due to language and cultural differences.

"For instance, seeing people wearing a Hijab is unfamiliar even for a grown-up like me. Accepting new cultures would be more difficult for the young children. The Afghan children will also find it difficult to adapt to Korean school life," Hong said.

Seen in this photo taken on March 2 is Seoboo elementary school in Ulsan. Korea Times photo by Kim Kang-min

She stressed that the parents protesting the admission of Afghan students are not "exclusionists" as described by some local media reports.

"We are concerned about the education and well-being of both Afghan and Korean children. And from that perspective, the children should be provided with a separate learning environment, at least for a few months."

But the Afghan families think differently.

"Afghan and Korean children will be better together, because that way, they can adapt easily and more quickly. But if they are separated from the beginning, they will have their own way of thinking, speak in different languages. Everything would be separated…" said Gul Agha.

Kim Ji-hoon, head of Ulsan People's Solidarity speaks during an interview with The Korea Times at the civic group's office in the southeastern port city, March 2. Korea Times photo by Kim Kang-min

Kim Ji-hoon, head of Ulsan People's Solidarity, said the latest conflict shows that refugees are still unwelcome in Korean society, where discrimination and exclusion against nationality and religion remain prevalent.

"When news that the Afghan evacuees were to move to our region spread among online communities, some residents worried that their settlement would badly affect housing prices. And many others seemed to be hostile due to religious reasons," he said.

When asked why Ulsan residents should support the settlement of Afghan evacuees, Kim said the influx of foreign workers would help the local economy, as the shipping sector in the industrial city of Ulsan has long been suffering from a labor shortage.

Kim said that the Afghan children, who haven't been able to receive proper education for several months, should be guaranteed the right to learn within the public education system.

But at the same time, he expressed concerns that the Afghan students may face blatant racism at school.

"This is somewhat similar to what black students in the U.S. had to go through in the 1950s and 60s. When students of color were first accepted by schools, they faced threats on their way to school. It will be a tragedy to see such conflicts arising in 21st century Korea," he said.

The civic activist urged the city government and education authorities to actively engage in discussions involving both parties.

The Ministry of Justice, which oversees the settlement of Afghan evacuees in Korean society, admitted there was a lack of involvement by Ulsan residents in the decision-making process.

Afghan children attend a taekwondo class on a playing field at the Leadership Campus of the National Human Resources Development Institute in Jincheon, North Chungcheong Province, Oct.13, 2021. Joint Press Corps

"While arranging the settlement of the special contributors in Ulsan, we gathered the opinions of those seeking employment there and local companies with manpower shortages," said an official at the ministry. "Providing them with homes close to their workplace was the best option. We expect them to gradually adapt to the local community."

The local education office, for its part, said the Afghan students would be accepted at Seoboo elementary school by the end of this month, but failed to give an exact date.

"They will be able to go to school from the fourth week of March" an official at Ulsan education office, told The Korea Times, Thursday. "Providing education programs at a separate facility is not being considered as a viable option, as the government's aim is to support the integration of the Afghan residents into society."

"In addition, under the Refugee Act, the Afghan children have equal rights to education as children of Korean nationality," he added.