An Influx of Refugees into Jeju Islandand its Effects on the Jeju Residents’ Cultural Sensitivity

Abstract

This research investigated how recent issues surrounding refugees in Jeju had affected the residents’ cultural sensitivity. The responses of 109 Jeju residents were used for an analysis. An independent t-test was conducted to see the difference in cultural difference in two groups: the residents who view refugees as potential neighbors and those who don’t. Based on the result of Pearson’s correlation analysis, a multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to see how refugee-related variables explain the change in residents’ cultural sensitivity. The result revealed that people open to refugees have a higher level of cultural sensitivity, and women in Jeju fear refugees more so than men. Also, Korean identity is negatively correlated with cultural sensitivity. Most importantly, the findings of this research suggested that accepting refugees can foster Jeju residents’ cultural sensitivity, which is vital to the Jeju economy and its community.

Keywords: Refugees, Jeju Island, Cultural Sensitivity, Human Rights, Korean Identity