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Korean University Students' Perceptions of China and the Role of Extracurricular Programs

  • The Journal of Study on Language and Culture of Korea and China
  • Abbr : JSLCKC
  • 2026, (81), pp.501~534
  • DOI : 10.16874/jslckc.2026..81.019
  • Publisher : Korean Society of Study on Chinese Languge and Culture
  • Research Area : Humanities > Chinese Language and Literature
  • Received : July 10, 2026
  • Accepted : August 20, 2026
  • Published : August 31, 2026

Jhong, So young 1

1광운대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

This study examines Korean university students' actual perceptions and understanding of China against the backdrop of anti-China sentiment that became politically contentious in Korean society during 2025-2026. Prior research has consistently suggested that attitudes toward China are formed more positively through direct experience than indirect exposure, yet studies comprehensively analyzing the overall impact of university extracurricular activities have been lacking. Accordingly, a survey was conducted with 64 university students (35 male, 29 female) to analyze differences in emotional attitudes, objective understanding of industrial and legal systems, and perception differences according to major, course enrollment, visit experience, and gender, using independent samples t-tests. Over 60% of respondents expressed negative feelings toward China and Chinese people, and 51.6% held negative views of China's political image. While understanding of industrial and technological competitiveness was relatively high, over 80% selected incorrect answers regarding legal systems such as private property rights, inheritance tax, and gift tax—demonstrating that perceptions are heavily shaped by ideological imagery rather than factual knowledge. However, t-test results showed that both prior visit experience to China (p<.001) and enrollment in Chinese language or China-related courses (p<.01~.001) had statistically significant positive effects on perceptions of both China and Chinese people, with women showing more positive perceptions than men toward both. This study is significant in empirically demonstrating that university students' perceptions of China are shaped by political and ideological frames, while also confirming that direct, experience-based extracurricular activities can help mitigate such biased perceptions.

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* References for papers published after 2025 are currently being built.

This paper was written with support from the National Research Foundation of Korea.
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