Asian-Australians: quiet migration or immigration indigestion?

Abstract

Despite its increasing international reputation as a global middle power, the tremendous success of its culture exports, and recognition of its effective governance, South Korea faces an image problem in Australia. The Australian community, particularly the foreign policy community, continue to narrowly view the Korean Peninsula in the context of North Korea. South Korea is an important political partner for Australia, its fourth largest trading partner, and a rapidly growing cultural influence. There are over 123,000 Australians who claim Korean ancestry, and nearly 100,000 of these were born in South Korea. With the highest proportion in the world of students undertaking tertiary education, and the rapid adaptation to online education as a result of the coronavirus, South Korea holds enormous potential as future source of students in the now struggling tertiary education sector. Studies estimate that a unified Korean peninsula would potentially have a GDP surpassing that of Germany or Japan. Australia's attention should be squarely aimed at South Korea. Yet, our research shows that in Australia's foreign policy commentary, there are actually more pieces on the Australia-North Korea relationship than there are on the Australia-South Korea relationship. This is despite the fact that Australia's political, economic, and cultural relations with North Korea are virtually nonexistent. A review of the Korean peninsula in Australia's five major foreign policy commentary venues: Interpreter; Strategist; East Asia Forum; Conversation; and Australian Outlook; provides some insight and brings out the key challenges of Australia's South Korea problem. Our research shows that Australians overwhelmingly see the Korean peninsula