Brain Circulation of South Korean Students in Japan and China

Abstract

This article is based on an empirical comparative analysis of South Koreans studying at institutions of higher education in Japan and China. Focusing on the phenomenon of ‘regionalization of higher education,’ the study examines South Korean students' mobility within Asia and the transferability of human capital. Data for this study came from a larger survey of Asian students who were enrolled as international students in South Korea, Japan and China. The survey was conducted between October 2012 and April 2013. Of the 1,036 students who participated in the survey, this study draws on data from 135 Korean students in Japan and 188 Korean students in China. Findings on students' future career plans reveal that 40–50 percent of Korean students plan to return home five years after studying abroad and about 20 percent plan to migrate to a third country. Considering these statistics, the mobility of Korean students within Asia is closer to brain circulation than brain drain or brain gain. Also, many Korean students believe that their education from the home country is transferable in the host country, and that their education abroad is recognized both in their home as well as in a third county.