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 Sikh volunteer (left) with the 60th Indian Field Ambulance in Korea. Between them are British, New Zealand and Australian soldiers (Circa 1951) | |
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| ~550 | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Seoul · Pocheon · Gwangju · Sungri · Thungnan | |
| Religions | |
| Sikhism | |
| Languages | |
| Punjabi · Korean |
Sikhism in South Korea (Korean:한국의 시크교,romanized: hangug-ui sikeugyo) is a minority religion.
According to records,Sikhs have been inSouth Korea since the country gained independence fromcolonial Japanese rule.[1] Early Sikh pioneers came to the country as traders and businessmen exporting textiles in the country to India and the Middle East.[1] However, these early settlers were forced to return home due to strict residency laws at the time.[1] After the first settlement period, Sikh labourers began migrating to the country in the 1980s due to a lack of opportunities in their homeland.[2] Some Sikh families have been in the country for over 50 years.[1] The first South Koreangurdwara was established in 1998 in Sungri on rented property but it burnt down in a fire after one and a half years.[2] Thereafter, the local congregations gathered funds to buy another rental property, where a new gurdwara was officially established in 2004. There are about 550 Sikhs in South Korea, now recently the Sikhs in South were allowed to acquire South Korean citizenship.[3]
Interactions betweenethnic Koreans and the new Sikh arrivals remains minimal because according to resident Akash Chodda, the native Koreans are not interested in learning about Sikhs nor their religion or culture.[4] Most of the community consists of men as it is mostly males who are immigrating to Korea.[4] A Sikh is employed as a professor at theUniversity of Seoul.[2] Many Sikhs in the country have overstayed on their tourist visa and remain in the country until they marry locally for residency status or get deported by authorities.[2] Many of the male migrants date and marry local Korean women, who take kindly to their strong work ethic.[2] Religiosity is low amongst the Sikhs in the country and many aresehajdharis who do not observe keepingkesh (uncut hair).[2] Around 30 Sikhs in the country wear adastar (turban).[2]
The needs of the local Sikh and Punjabi community are represented by the Punjabi Association of Korea (PAOK), which is currently working towards the establishment of a Sikh gurdwara in Seoul to systematically introduce Sikhism to Korea.[5][3] The Punjabi Association of Korea is currently headed by Lakvinder Singh.[6] The rationale given for the building of a new gurdwara in Seoul is that the current gurdwaras located in Pocheon and Gwangju are too far from the capital city of Seoul and that such an endeavor will improveIndo-Korean economic ties.[6]
Most Sikhs in the country are working in the agricultural, trading, corporate, and restaurant sectors.[2]
In May 2024,British Sikh actor, Taz Singh (born Tarsvinder Singh Sihra), appeared in BTS' music video for the songLost! starring alongsideKim Nam-joon (known professionally as RM).[8][9][10] Taz Singh spoke Korean in the music video.[10]
비록 시크교가 처음 한국에 전파된 때를 정확히 말하기는 어렵지만, 최근까지의 기록에 따르면 한국이 일본의 식민지로 부터 독립한 직후부터 시크교도가 한국으로 이주했다고 기록되어 있다. 원래 이들은 인도와 중동 국가에 섬유 등을 수출하는 무역 및 기업인으로 한국에 왔으나, 당시 한국정부가 실시한 심각한 비자 제한조치로 인하여 결국 다시 인도로 돌아가야 했다.
한국의 산업화가 진행되면서, 농업인구가 부족해지기 시작하자 시크교 농부들이 한국 농업 분야에서 일하게 되었고, 농촌지역에서는 그들이 매우 환영받았다고 한다. 짧은 기간동안에, 펀자비 시크교 농부들은 한국인들이 그들의 종교적 믿음을 매우 환영하고 지지한다는 것을 발견했다. 그렇게해서 그들은 한국에서 오랫동안 거주하기 시작했다. 어떤 시크교도 가족들은 한국에 50년 이상 정착해 있다. 하지만 심각한 문화적 편견 때문에 그들은 자신들의 종교를 공개적으로 실천할 수 없었고 낮은자세를 유지하고 싶어했다.
Translation: Although it is difficult to say exactly when Sikhism first arrived in Korea, recent records indicate that Sikhs migrated to Korea shortly after the country gained its independence from Japan. Originally, they came to Korea as traders and businessmen exporting textiles to India and the Middle East, but were eventually forced to return to India due to severe visa restrictions imposed by the Korean government at the time.
As South Korea industrialized and began to experience a shortage of agricultural workers, Sikh farmers were recruited to work in the agricultural sector and were very welcome in the rural areas. Within a short period of time, the Punjabi Sikh farmers found the Koreans to be very welcoming and supportive of their religious beliefs. As a result, they began to live in Korea for a long time. Some Sikh families have been settled in South Korea for more than 50 years. However, due to severe cultural prejudice, they could not practice their religion openly and preferred to keep a low profile.
