How South Korea Used Guest Workers To Secure Millions In Nation-Building Loans | CNA Correspondent

In the 1960s and 1970s, South Korea sent thousands of miners and nurses to West Germany. They were not just workers, but a form of “human collateral” for foreign loans that were badly needed after the Korean War. Many spent decades underground in coal mines or working long shifts in hospitals, sending nearly all their wages back home. But while their sacrifices helped fuel the country’s rise into an economic powerhouse, these workers - now in their 70s – feel they have been forgotten. Some live with chronic illnesses and mining injuries. Others still face discrimination in Germany after half a century abroad. Many struggle with poverty and a fading sense of identity. There are those who want to come home but cannot. South Korea has built a ‘German Village’ for retired miners and nurses. But those we spoke to say they were misled about financial aid and promises made were left unfulfilled. Today, some pioneers are asking: After helping to build modern South Korea, why were they left behind? WATCH MORE CNA Correspondent: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkMf14VQEvTbOoBfXhyg67u0l-6pLZ5uU 00:00 South Korea’s “human collateral” 01:17 The miner who built a new life 04:53 The nurse who never left 07:09 The children of South Korea’s guest workers 08:08 “I have lived a happy life” 11:15 South Korea’s mass recruitment of guest workers 11:52 Two sisters, two different lives in Germany 16:40 From guest worker to building a life in Germany 20:02 The former nurse who chose to stay 22:43 South Korea’s miners head underground 24:44 South Korea’s promise of jobs to returning workers 26:26 From miner to nurse to football referee 28:17 A dwindling Korean community in Essen 35:23 South Korea’s German village in Namhae 40:35 A memorial - and a promise fulfilled? ================= About CNA Correspondent: They're your eyes and ears around the globe. CNA's network of correspondents shines a light on stories from their corners of the world, from groundbreaking events to up-and-coming trends. ================= #CNAInsider #CNACorrespondent #SouthKorea #Germany #KoreanWar #EconomicGrowth For more, SUBSCRIBE to CNA INSIDER https://cna.asia/insideryoutubesub Follow CNA INSIDER on: Telegram: https://t.me/CNAInsiderSG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cnainsider