The JASMINE LEE education scandal is taking the issue of multiculturalism in Korea by storm. Koreans, Filipinos in Korea, and even other foreigners in Korea are all saying their piece about the issue. How I wish people will take time out to look at things objectively.
By Cathy Rose A. Garcia, ABS-CBNnews.com
Posted at 04/02/2012 12:15 PM | Updated as of 04/02/2012 2:06
PM
MANILA, Philippines - An anti-multicultural group in South Korea is
reportedly behind accusations of "education forgery" against Filipina Jasmine
Lee, who is hoping to be the first naturalized Korean citizen to be elected in
Parliament.
The 34-year-old Lee is a proportional representation candidate for the ruling
Saenuri Party in April's general elections. If elected, she will be the first
Filipina and first ever naturalized Korean citizen who will become a legislator
in South Korea.
The
Dong-a
Ilbo reported that a "quasi-witch hunt" was launched on Lee's educational
background. The newspaper said the accusations made against Lee were first
raised on an anti-multicultural Internet Korean forum last March 12.
The post on the anti-multicultural forum read: "I checked the Philippine
education system to find that there is no high school (from which Lee claimed to
have graduated). If (she) quit college, she even failed to graduate from high
school. What can a Filipina who never finished high school do?"
The Korea Times reported that Lee "
allegedly
lied about entering a prestigious medical school in the Philippines" when
she had only taken a pre-med course at Ateneo de Davao University.
But it seems the "education forgery" stemmed from a misunderstanding due to
differences in the medical school system in the Philippines and South Korea.
The Dong-a Ilbo noted that "while Lee never attended medical school, but the
department she studied at can be effectively considered medical school in
Korea.” Lee was also quoted as saying. “Since all students from the department
advance to medical college, I introduced myself by omitting the interim
process.”
A Davao native, Lee was majoring in Biology when she met her future husband,
Korean seaman Dong-ho Lee in 1994. She dropped out of school to marry Dong-ho in
April 1995 and later moved to Korea.
There have been growing
concerns
about the rise of xenophobic Koreans, who have organized campaigns against
migrant workers and immigrant wives. Several websites have launched an
"anti-multiculturalism" movement, claiming that migrant workers take jobs from
Koreans and commit crimes. Some anti-multicultural groups have also staged
protests.
In South Korea, there has also been extreme scrutiny on the educational
background of celebrities and politicians. For instance, popular Korean-Canadian
singer Tablo faced false accusations from Korean netizens that he never
graduated from Stanford University. Another prominent case involved Korean
curator Shin Jeong-ah, who was found to have lied about obtaining degrees in the
U.S., including a Ph.D. degree from Yale University.
Despite these criticisms being hurled against her, Lee is still poised to
become the first naturalized Korean to enter Korean Parliament.
Lee is considered the most well-known figure for multi-cultural families and
the Filipino community in South Korea. A resident of Seoul for 17 years, Lee
became a naturalized Korean citizen in 1998.
Her husband Dong-ho
died in
2010 while saving their daughter from drowning in a mountain stream in
Okcheon-dong, Gangwon province.
Lee is secretary general of Waterdrop, a charity formed by foreign spouses of
Koreans and the team manager of the Seoul Global Center.
Last year, Lee
co-starred
with Korean heartthrob Yoo Ah-in in the blockbuster hit "Wandeugi" (Punch)
last year. Since 2006, she has appeared on the KBS program ``Love in Asia” and a
Korean language program on educational channel EBS.
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4 comments:
Not just anti-cultural group, but many Koreans don't feel good even as they support Saenury party. Her party made a crucial mistake in choosing a candidate representing multicultural families.
I think the better way was to choose a Korean husband, not his foreign wife, who doesn't know Korea and its nationals well enough, and who is apt to exaggerate or fabricate her previous career and education in her birth place.
Korea has been a monolithic and homogeneous country, which indeed contributes and contributed to national unity for nation's goal, either economic or cultural, and is expressed as strong patriotism and nationalism. The bottom line is that a political candidate should understand characteristics of Koreans and Korean society.
Many Koreans admittedly worry a lot that Korea might undermine its momentum for development by losing monolithic and homogeneous unity in multi-culturally changing Korean society.
@anonymous
I completely agree with you! Or it could be the Korean wife as there are also Korean women married to foreign nationals.
From your comment, I can see that you're a smart person.
Why they haven't thought of this?
i smell two over educated under achievers taking the ride with these Koreans who can't attack her race/nationality.. thus, they attacked her background...
you think a Korean husband can clearly represent the immigrant wives? do they clearly understand the plight of the pathetic conditions of the other immigrant wives? you both clearly don't have an idea what other foreigners/immigrant wives are going thru to say that.
the Koreans couldn't even comment on what she's doing for the community.. that's why they attacked her weakest link.. Of course, education is very important to Koreans. so much that they are overly educated already yet under achievers. that's why they are so frustrated with the likes of Jasmine Lee..
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