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Daily Busan

A conversation with one of Busan’s international students

 

Daily Busan interviewed Mr. Abdul, who majors in industrial design at Pukyong National University. Mr. Abdul shares his life in Busan with us.

Q1. How long have you been living in Busan? 

- I've been living in Busan for more than a year.

Q2. Please share your experience living in Busan.

- I have lived in many cities in Korea, such as Seoul, Daegu, and Gyeongsan. Among them, the best one is Busan. One of the disadvantages is that house rent and grocery prices are higher than in Daegu. On the other side, Busan people are friendlier to foreigners. Not everyone, but it's possible to meet such people. Personally, I have worked at different part-time jobs legally. In Busan, there are tons of businesses that hire foreigners, but in Daegu, they never hire foreigners for restaurants or shops. Even though I have a high level of Korean language and customer care experience, they prefer a Korean national with no experience. The same ideas exist in Busan, but not as much. But I just want to send a message to all Korean business owners who are afraid of foreigners. We can speak Korean and also know the rules. We are also polite to customers and know Korean culture. Don't be so worried.

Q3. Why did you decide to study in Busan? 

- I tried other universities, but they didn't accept me. So, I opened Kakao Map and started looking for a university with a good-looking campus. Then, I found PKNU in Busan. I wanted to start a new life and took the risk.

Q4. What are the good parts of living in Busan?

- I live in Nam-gu, so it's very comfortable to go to other central areas of Busan, such as downtown or Gwangalli. And the weather is warmer than in other cities. Also, there are many programs that accept foreigners. For example, in Daegu, almost all programs are for Koreans, but in Busan, there are many opportunities and many employers who welcome foreigners.

Q5. Busan is currently implementing the English-Friendly City policy. Please share your opinions about it. 

- I think it sounds good for those who stay here for a short time, but for those who want to stay longer, it may be dangerous because if they forget about learning the Korean language, later it will be hard to extend their visa or getting a better visa may be difficult.

Q6. Do you have suggestions on how Busan City can better serve foreign residents? 

- I think the Busan government must negotiate with the immigration office to ease the policies for those foreigners who want to open their start-ups. I personally want to open my own business, but immigration policies are very hard. If I change my visa to a business visa, I will be prevented from working part-time jobs. But, starting a new business does not mean it will be successful right away. So, I still will need some extra money to maintain my financial situation.