Local Leaders: Mukul Basu

By Jonathan Joseph Chiarella

Mukul Basu became naturalized in 2000. Having first visited Korea in 1989, he started planting roots in 1994. He sees a great many changes and improvements in the acceptance of foreigners in Korea, though the road ahead is still long. He is originally a Bengali from India, a very diverse state, and has not forgotten his roots. He teaches Yoga at Gwangju Catholic University and is a leading advocate for foreign residents since he settled in Gwangju. In addition to being vice president of the local UNESCO chapter, he is president and founder of the Universal Cultural Center (NGO registered with city in 2008) which seeks to “solve problems for all the migrated people living in Gwangju and Jeollanam-do” while raising awareness of foreign Gwangju and counseling foreign workers. His ambitious goal is to change society at large. “In the age of globalization, Gwangju citizens and Korean citizens should have a global mind where they can accommodate all ways and all kinds of people” says Basu.

According to Basu, Japan, where he lived previously before Korea, is ahead in its acceptance and official treatment of foreigners whose “live[s] [are] much better” there. He is currently helping foreign workers who are owed weeks of back pay, something he says would not happen in Japan. For decades, South Korea’s development owes much to foreigners taking on so-called 3D jobs (dirty, dangerous, difficult). “Concern [for] the foreigner is very, very poor,” says Basu. Undocumented workers are often dis-empowered. In Basu’s experience, “They can’t even think about getting their salary. [In Japan] at least they always make sure everyone gets their salaries [before] they’re deported. Such kinds of things need to be improved.” Foreign workers and students’ contributions are often overlooked. According to Basu, 70% of GIST research projects “are by [foreign] students and [foreign] post-doctoral researchers.”

Various nationalities are, generally, in different positions and situations. When asked about non-Western, non–English-teaching foreigner groups, Basu advocated for uniting within one’s own community or home region, then connecting with other large groups. “In order to bring the voice of the migrants … each country should be united by themselves first.” When they do this “half of their problems get solved.” As each country’s migrants face different kinds of problems, they need a united voice to address them. Basu’s work in Gwangju has helped to create the Bangladesh and the Nepali student unions, and Mongolian and Vietnamese communities. He provides advice on everything from finances to how the groups can organize their own festivals. He even advocated for the GIC to move its International Day events to Sunday to accommodate groups who work on Saturdays.

Basu strongly recommended, saying that even if “you stay for six months or even one year, you need to live here peacefully and friendly with Korean people. The moment you know just one or two things then immediately you get more appreciation from them and when you make any mistake [it] is all excused because you become friendly with them.” He was a student at Seoul National University and studied exactly what he needed to know for the citizenship tests, which, while easier now, can still be challenging. The program allows immigrants and foreigners to learn about the Korean language and Korean society—all for free, online or in person. Even the textbooks alone are a great way to learn about the immigration system and to master the multitude of familial titles and ins and outs of every holiday. The Koreans’ understanding of history and its importance to them is clearer in the course.

Basu was a student at Seoul National University and studied exactly what he needed to know for the citizenship tests, which, while easier now, can still be challenging. The program allows immigrants and foreigners to learn about the Korean language and Korean society—all for free, online or in person. With insight gained from both studying about and interacting within Korean society, he has the following recommendation: “[If] you stay for six months or even one year, you need to live here peacefully and friendly with Korean people. The moment you know just one or two things then immediately you get more appreciation from them and when you make any mistake [it] is all excused because you become friendly with them.”