Yanbianese

Ethnic Koreans from China. (Yanbian is an autonomous Korean prefecture in China where 39% of the 2.2 million population is Korean.)

Yanbianese men and women constitute a significant proportion of the Korean workforce, usually working low-wage jobs on construction sites, and in factories, restaurants and homes.

However, The Korea Herald reported that many Yanbianese are now returning home to China, or declining to leave their homeland to work abroad:

The monthly number of ethnic Koreans coming to Korea to work decreased by more than 22,000 from 32,124 last March to 10,000 last October, according to figures from the Justice Ministry. The number of those leaving the country, on the other hand, more than doubled to 26,984 over the same period.

The Herald cited two reasons for this flight: Korea’s weakening economy and currency and stricter working regulations. Yet, it seems the Korean authorities are confident that, as the economy improves, the Chinese workers will return. As The Herald noted: ”Yanbianese are prepared to do jobs that workers from Korea tend to avoid.”