선거 시기 중국 이주민 혐오표현의 양상 ― 21대 대선 시기 ‘화교’ 혐오를 중심으로 ―

초록

By examining the prominent manifestations of anti-Chinese immigrant hate speech during the 21st presidential election in South Korea, this study focuses on the emergence of the neologism “Hwajjangjo” and the expansion of the Hwagyo (Chinese Koreans) as targets of hate. Analysis of YouTube video comments containing the term “Hwagyo” in 2020 and 2025 revealed that while the 2020 comments were dominated by emotional hatred rooted in cultural differences such as nationality and identity, those for 2025 were strongly associated with terms such as “privilege, medical schools, taxes, the Democratic Party, and lawmakers,” thereby revealing a shift toward institution- and politics-centered hate. This suggests that hostility toward the Hwagyo has evolved beyond ethnic exclusion, ultimately becoming intertwined with institutional distrust and political anger. A comparison with hatred toward the Joseonjok (ethnic Korean Chinese) further indicates that, whereas such hatred is primarily framed by distrust of identity and exclusion, that against the Hwagyo tends to expand into discourses of reverse discrimination and institutional unfairness. These findings indicate that the Hwagyo, as one of the oldest immigrant groups in Korea, may become both a new target of hatred and a “preview” of future immigrant hatred. Furthermore, since hate speech extends beyond a mere linguistic phenomenon to potentially foster social discrimination and violence, proactive responses, such as counter-speech, are urgently required.

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