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A Study on the Reentry Motivation Types of the Young Chinese Migrant
Workers Returning from South Korea
CHENG Jing1,a, ZHU Kun1,b,
1Changchun Normal University,China
Achengjing1981@hotmail.com, b9438832@qq.com
Corresponding author:ZHU Kun
Keywords： reentry motivation,young Chinese migrant workers, South Korea,
Abstract. This paper explains and demonstrates reentry motivations of the Chinese migrant laborer
returning from South Korea. Qualitative and Quantitative analytical method are used in this paper.
500 questionnaires were distributed out and 465 valid pieces were collected. Through the analysis, it
is found that there are two major returning types: initiative return type(conservative,resting and
innovative return) and passive return type(not adaptable,unfavorable policy return). A specific
returning type could result in different return period. The return motivations could be influenced by
diversified factors, such as:experience, gender ,family and ethnicity.
1. Introduction
This research is conducted in Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture（Yanbian hereafter） in Jilin
Province. As the only Korean Autonomous Prefecture, Yanbian is an adjacent to the border areas of
China, Russia and Korea Peninsula. Yanbian, as a pioneer, started its labor export industry to South
Korea under this social economic situation. Yanbian got great economic benefits through labor
export, yet it faces various social,economic, security problems. In order to keep a sustainable,safe and
prosperous development, Yanbian needs to explore its labor forces to cope with the labor deficiency
challenges. The young cross-border migrant laborers have great potential to empower labor force of
the local community. Therefore, this paper aims at analyzing the returning types of the Chinese
migrant laborers returning from South Korea from the perspective of time dimension.
2. Methodology
2.1 Data sources
2.1.1 Primary data
The primary data was collected by sending questionnaires and doing a preliminary investigation. The
preliminary investigation were made through interviews to figure out the major reentry
motivations.questionnaires were distributed after the qualitative research. The respondents are young
migrant workers aged between 18-40 in 8 cities in Yanbian Prefecture. The questionnaire was issued
and recovered from February 2015 to March 2016. A total of 500 questionnaires were distributed and
465 valid questionnaires were returned, including 232 Chaoxianzu(Korean Chinese) ethic
respondents, 231 Han respondents, and 2 other ethnics.
2.1.2 Secondary data
Secondary data were collected through books, reports and the information from mass media.
2.2 Analytical method
This paper integrates both qualitative and quantitative analytical method. Qualitative method is used
to analyze the major reentry motivations, quantitative analysis is used to prove the reentry motivation
hypothesis and the characteristics of different types.
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Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research (ASSEHR), volume 237
3rd International Conference on Humanities Science, Management and Education Technology (HSMET 2018)
2.3 Theoretical basis
The theoretical basis of this article is Francesco Cerase’s study of four types of return from the
perspective of ideals, expectations, and needs for returning home, he proposed four types of return:
return of failure, return of conservatism, and return of retirement and return of innovation. Based on
the research object and the actual needs of the research, the type of returning home for Chinese young
migrant workers returning from South Korea are divided into 2 major types: initiative reentry and
and passive reentry.
3. Findings
3.1 Initiative Reentry
3.1.1 Return of Conservatism
The conservative returning type means that returnees set a good goal for working abroad and for
return. Once the goal can be achieved, immigrants will return home and plan to settle down
permanently.
Table 1. Proportion of Major Ethnic Groups in the Return Type of Conservatism(Unit: person, %)
Return type
Chaozianzu
ethic Han other Total
Pop. pct Pop. pct Pop. pct Pop. pct
Conservative
type 4 5% 80 95% 0 0 75 18%
（data source：result of questionnaire analysis）
According to statistics, the proportion of the Han nationality in the conservative returning
population is much higher than that of the Chaoxianzu returnees. As shown in Table 2, Han
conservative returnees account for 95% of the conservative returnees, and Koreans only account for
5% of the total. From this data, it can be seen that the majority of Chaoxianzu laborers international
work activities in South Korea are not short-term and single-time economic flows, but are continuous
cross-border flows.
3.1.2 Return of Resting
Return of resting is a returning type based on Cerase’s return of retirement. Many immigrants have
returned to China after earning some money abroad, and have returned to their hometowns for the
purpose of nursing and even enjoyment. After returning home, these returnees do not rush to find a
job or start a business, but are completely in a short-term "retirement" state. When the money they
earned from abroad was spent out, they will once again work abroad to make money.
Table 2. Proportion of ethnic groups in the Return Type of Resting(Unit: person, %)
Return
type
Chaoxianzu Han other Total
Pop. pct Pop. pct Pop. pct Pop. pct
Return of
resting 158 67% 78 32% 1 1% 237 51%
（data source：result of questionnaire analysis）
As shown in Table 3, Chaoxianzu returnees account for 67% of the returnee population. First of all,
it originated from the preferential cross-border policies issued by Korea for Korean ethnicity.
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Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research (ASSEHR), volume 237
Secondly, high income enables the returnees to rest back in China. There are relatively few groups of
Han people returning to their hometowns, accounting for 32% of the total number of people who
return home for recuperation.
3.1.3 Return of Innovation
The return of innovation refers to the returnee’ efforts to, accumulate certain economic , cultural, and
social capital. After returning home, they use these capitals to better live, work, or start a business.
Table 3. Proportion of major ethnic groups in the Return Type of Innovation(Unit: person, %)
Return
type
Chaoxianzu Han other Total
Pop. pct Pop. pct Pop. pct Pop. pct
innovative
return 42 52% 39 48% 0 0 81 17%
（data source：result of questionnaire analysis）
As shown in Table 4, Chaoxianzu are slightly higher than the other ethnic groups in terms of
innovative return. The main reason is language and cultural advantages. Entrepreneurship is another
important factor. Due to the slow economic development in Yanbian area and the incomplete
economic structure, the related supporting policies are still very limited. The entrepreneurial
returnees usually accumulate a large amount of manpower, economic and social capital before
return.
3.2 Passive Return
3.2.1 Return of Failure
Return of failure refers to the returnee who was forced to return to China because he was unable to
adapt to a foreign life during his stay abroad. There are various reasons why returnees cannot adapt to
life abroad, such as discrimination or unfair treatment, conflicting cultural values, stereotypes,
lifestyle, interpersonal relationships or work difficulties.
Table 4. Population Percentage of ethnic groups in the short-term Return Type(Unit: person, %)
Return
type
Chaoxianzu Han other Total
Pop. pct Pop. pct Pop. pct Pop. pct
Return of
failure 2 23% 4 67% 0 0 4 1%
（data source：result of questionnaire analysis）
As shown in Table 4, the percentage of Han is slightly higher than Chaoxianzu in terms of the
failure type. Cultural difference is not the major reason for the result,because the migrant workers of
different ethnicity from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture have long been integrated culturally.
The biggest challenge is the 3D(difficult, dirty and dangerous ) jobs that were done by the young
Chinese migrant laborers in South Korea. Some laborers were forced to return due to the discomfort
caused by the exhausting work.
3.2.2 Return of Unfavorable Policy
The return of unfavorable policy type refers to the returnees who had to repatriate because of visa
issues or other unfavorable policies.migrant workers who have to be returned to China due to visas
that have to be returned due to reasons such as illegal stay in Korea. Because most migrant workers
payed big sum of commission fee to the job agencies, the return of this group is not voluntary but
forced. The returnees usually face obstacles to social adaptation both domestic and abroad.
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Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research (ASSEHR), volume 237
Table 5. Proportion of major ethnic groups in the Return of Unfavorable Policies(Unit: person, %)
Return
type
Chaoxianzu Han other Total
Pop. pct Pop. pct Pop. pct Pop. pct
Unfavorab
le policies 26 27% 78 62% 1 1% 98 23%
（data source：result of questionnaire analysis）
As shown in table 5, Han returnees accounts for 62% , which shows significant contrast with
Chaoxianzu of 27%. South Korea introduced a preferential visa policy for Chaoxianzu in 2007.
Although the introduction of this policy has its ethnic historical origins, it has virtually created
inequality in visas, employment opportunities, and employment treatment. Chinese Han and other
ethnic young migrant workers still need to spend a lot of agency fees, or have to become “black
workers” or work for a few jobs in order to earn as much as Chaoxianzu workers in South Korea.
4. Summary
In general, the proportion of initiative returnees is higher than passive returnees, which are 76% and
24% respectively (see Table 6). By understanding the return motivations, the local government and
society could develop favorable policies and attractive conditions to explore the return laborers.
Table 6. Reentry types from the perspective of motivation
Passive Return Initiative Return
total
Culture
shock type
Unfavorable
policy type
Conservative
type
holiday
type
Innovation
type
Chaoxianzu 1% 11% 2% 68% 18% 100%
Han 1% 34% 35% 13% 17% 100%
Other ethnic
group 0 50% 50% 0 0 100%
Proportion 1% 23% 18% 51% 17% 100%
24% 76% 100%
Acknowledgement
This research was financially supported by the Social Science Foundation of Jilin Province,
“Collective Identity of the Chaoxianzu Ethnic Group in International Mobility” (Grant
NO.2018B133).Meanwhile,this article is a phased achievement of the horizontal project of Jilin
University, “Research on Big Data Collection of “Cultural Protection” in China” (Project No.
371182101401).
References
[1] Cheng Jing, A Study on Reentry Re-adaptation of the Young Chinese Migrant Laborers returning
from South Korea,[D]Jilin University, 2017.
[2] Francesco P. Cerase. Expectations and Reality: A Case Study of Return Migration from the
United States to Southern Italy, International Migration Review, 1974, 8(26)
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