A Study On The Social Adaptation Of The Return Chinese Young Migrant Workers From South Korea

Since the 1990 s,the process of global economic globalization and regional economic integration has been accelerating.Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in Jilin Province,as the only Korean Autonomous Prefecture,is an adjacent to the border areas of China,Russia and Korea Peninsula.Yanbian started its labor export industry to South Korea under this social economic situation.A large scale of Chinese migrant workers went to South Korea to make money.Even though,the international labor flow brought new economic growth point to Yanbian Prefecture,it has also brought a lot of negative effects to this area: Firstly,due to the large population outflow,the population in the border areas drastically reduced,the villages were hollowed out,and the border security was threatened.Second,among the out-flowed population,a large amount of them are young and middle-aged Chinese laborers,which resulted in the abandoned farmland due to the lack of young laborers.Third,most young and middle-aged workers out-flowed,leaving the the Children,the old and the sick at home,which causes a lot of left-behind problems and discrete families in Yanbian Prefecture.Fourthly,Due to the huge economic gap between Yanbian and South Korea,many Yanbian migrant workers' health conditions are worsened because of strong physical labor and discrimination,unfair treatment and other issues;Fifth,the development of the different sectors of economy in Yanbian are deformed.The entertainment and service industry prevail in Yanbian prefecture,the level of consumption is much higher than the residents' domestic income levels.In order to achieve a better living condition and consumption,the return migrant workers have to return to South Korea to work hard again,which formed a “leave or return” dilemma.The phenomenon of the Outflow of Chinese labors working in South Korea has already had a serious negative impact on the economic and social development ofYanbian,China,and the generation and solutions of this series of problems have all pointed to the core factor-"people",especially the young Chinese migrant worker.This study aims to analyze the social adaptation of migrant workers in South Korea.Under this question,the following sub-questions are answered: What are the characteristics of the migrant workers? What are the return types of the returnees and what is the logical relationship between different types? What are the factors that affect the return of the Chinese migrant workers ? What strategies should be taken to eliminate the tension in the process of returning home?This paper has both theoretical and practice significance.Theoretically,this research integrated identity theory and social identity theory to analyze the question of social adaptation.The paper makes micro,middle and macro study on self identity,relational identity,collective identity and material identity,which develops the researching model of returning social adaption.In terms of the practical function,this paper gives a comprehensive strategy to the return migrant workers for their career and the well-being of lives.Nevertheless,this paper give practical strategies for governmental policy making in order to maintain the economic development of the Yanbian prefecture,to secure the social stability and to develop racial harmonious relationships.In the previous re-entry studies,most researches focus on international students and repatriate employees from multinational companies.In the limited study of return migrant laborers,most study stressed on the domestic return farmer workers' groups,few studies concern about the return of international Chinese migrant laborers,which is in a large scale and with regional characteristics.From the perspective of re-entry theory,fruitful research theories were found in different disciplines.However,there is no integrated return social adaptation research model.This paper argues that we should integrate the identity theory from the discipline of sociology and the social identity theory from psychology to examine the cognitive,psychological and behavioral processes of the young Chinese return migrant workers in China and abroad,so that we can dynamically grasp the social adaptation process of the return migrant workers.In this study,qualitative and quantitative research methods were used to examine the resettlement characteristics and re-entry process of migrant workers in Korea.Firstly,Through the collecting and analysis of 465 questionnaires,the types of returnees was determined.Secondly,through 40 in-depth interview,this research depicts and analyzes the re-entry and social adaptation process of the return young Chinese migrant workers deeply.From the research,it is found that before working abroad,most Chinese young migrant workers are from rural families,whose income were low.The educational level of most migrant workers were middle school level.The social network of theirs was yet to be developing.They went to South Korea to do 3D jobs(dirty,hard and difficult)with the hope that their “South Korea dream” would come true one day.From a static point of view,the return group could be divided with the respect of3 major variables: returning duration,returning motivation and reentry social adaptation.As return duration is concerned,the return young migrant workers could be divided into 3 types: long-duration,medium-duration and short-duration return types;as returning motivation is concerned,the return young migrant workers could be divided into 2 major types: active reentry type(innovative return,recuperative return and conservative return)and passive reentry type(unfavorable policy return and failure adaptation return);From a view of reentry social adaption,the return migrant workers could be divided into 4 types: integrative reentry,home-identified reentry,segregated reentry and marginalized reentry.These types of return types interact with each other and transiting according to the changing of different circumstances,time and space.From the dynamic point of view,this paper studies the flow and adaptation process of return young migrant workers before,during and after working in South Korea.The research studies the dynamic process with 4 dimensions: personal identity,material identity,role(relational)identity and collective identity.Individuals integrated with the three other identities to show the the interaction between the returnees and the objective world.At the same time,this study argues that the reentry study should not only examine the adaptation problem of the returnees from the timeand space after returning home.The background of the returnees,and every important course of life trajectory is also of great importance to affect their return social adaptation.From the examination of the symbolic consumption and social network consumption of the return young migrant workers,this study found that the young returnees are always unsatisfied with their present situation,their social relations are also alienated because of deformed consumption.From the analysis of the physical space identity of the young migrant workers,it is found that the returnees complained about the domestic economic development level,natural environment and the in the humanistic environment..Thus,many long term and medium term returnees have converted into medium or short term returning type.However,most returnees identified with the domestic accommodation conditions,because of which,many returnees claimed that they will finally return to Yanbian prefecture in their old age.From the perspective of role(relational)identity,this paper makes analysis on the occupational identity and family identity of the return migrant workers.Most of the returnees found themselves dissatisfied with their income,working class and career development after returning home,which are the reasons that most people re-migrated to South Korea after returning home.In terms of colleague relationships,there are different comment because of different impact of the organizational culture of China and South Korea.Family identity studies have found that national policies determine the fates of migrants' families.The privileged visa policy for the Chinese Korean migrant workers virtually caused the racial isolation and differentiation;A lot of the return migrants' divorced.The formation and reformation of marriage are difficult.However,most young return migrants are still longing to return to the extended family,which means the return of blood relatives.The family is not just a social system and structure of production and reproduction,it is the center of private life and the haven of the individual.It is also found that many returnees confuse occupational identity with family identity.Some of the returnees thought that occupational success are the commitment to the families,yet this confusion resulted in the discrete families.In terms of the collective identity,this research focuses on the racial,national andreligious identities.Firstly,this research examined the racial identity from the perspective of racial language and racial stratum before,during and after the Korean Chinese working in South Korea.It is found that because of the different language expression and intonation,different political power and differentiated social stratification,the Korean Chinese Young migrant workers is clearer about their“Chinese Korean ethnicity ” racial identity and their “Chinese” national identity.Secondly,the national identity is studied from two layers: national political identity and national culture identity.It is found that all returnees' “Chinese” national identity are stressed and clearer.It is because that the young migrant workers are confident for the national political security,their secured feeling for the civic identity and their proud for the Chinese culture.This paper aims at giving a diversified developmental strategies for the return young migrant workers from South Korea.It is also the main purpose of this paper to assist the migration policy maker to make more humanistic policies.