ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a brief definition of the term “Overseas-Chinese,” of which the Korean-Chinese are a sub-group, followed by an overview of the demographic background of the ethnic Chinese in Korea, and a summary of their social and educational history in the context of Korean society. The Chinese overseas have been regarded by recent Chinese governments as the full members of China’s political family. Until a short time ago the expatriates and all their descendants through the male line over infinite generations were officially classified as citizens of China. Korean nationality laws, which imply that there are distinctions between the citizen and non-citizen, and accordingly, between their respective rights and duties, have affected the Korean-Huaqiaos’ educational choices, their participation in politics, and their economic wellbeing. Korean-Huaqiaos are as homogeneous as the Korean population which they have adopted.
