Though for decades South Korea was considered the quintessential homogeneous nation-state, the more recent influx of significant immigration has given rise to intensely debated questions about the nature of the country's national identity. Who is a "real" Korean? Who has a right to be a member of South Korean society? Which immigrants are acceptable? Who qualifies for citizenship? How should the diaspora be considered? And more fundamentally, how well does the concept of ethnic nationalism serve as an analytical concept for explaining and predicting the contours of identity, belongingness, and citizenship?

The authors of South Korea and the Politics of Ethnic Nationalism engage with these debates, highlighting the factors and processes that complicate the many issues involved.

Timothy C. Lim is professor of political science at California State University, Los Angeles.