Language ownership and belonging in overseas Koreans

This study adopts a high modern perspective in approaching the analysis of the relationship between overseas Korean and the homeland with regard to cultural belonging, language use, and language teaching. The homeland s stance on the topic is illustrated through the analysis of two pieces of Korean legislation, the Act on the Korean Language and the Overseas Korean Act. The overseas Korean perspective is showed on the other hand through examples taken from an online blog written as pedagogical language task by 1.5 and 2nd generation Korean-Australian students enrolled in a Korean language university course. Results of the analysis show how the pieces of legislation have an ambigus attituted toward overseas Korean, since in some instances they try to in incorporate them into the homeland network, while in other instances they try to push them toward the grey area existing between the division separating Korean nationals from foreigners. Results of the analysis are then used to make consideration in relation to overseas Korean language use and language teaching.