Muslims face discrimination in Korean job market, they say

The Korea JoongAng Daily met with four job-seekers with Muslim backgrounds in Korea to learn more about their difficulties in navigating the country's job market.

International students attend a career fair for foreign job-seekers held at Sejong University in Seoul on Oct. 17. [NEWS1]

Muslim job candidates in Korea face discrimination despite Korea's efforts to bring in more international workforce and fight against labor shortage.

"If you are a foreigner [in Korea and not white], you are from a third-world country in most Korean eyes," Mohammad Afif Kasno, a Malaysian doctorate student in Korea, said. "If you are a practicing Muslim, you will double the gap."

In 2019, the Korean Muslim Federation estimated that there were about 135,000 Muslims in Korea, according to the U.S. Department of State.

The Korea JoongAng Daily met with four expats in Korea with Muslim backgrounds to learn more about their experience navigating the country's job market.

Abdul Muqeet came from Pakistan to work in the field of artificial intelligence in Korea. He said job application outcomes in his field largely depend on technical skills assessed during interviews rather than religion.

He said that questions about dietary restrictions, often asked during interviews with Muslim candidates, help employers understand what to expect. When he started working remotely in his current job, questions related to his religion were never raised during the interview. The reason is that no arrangement was needed for meals or after-work gatherings.

"They need to know what to take care of," he said. "They are extra careful. They want to know my preferences because there are lots of gatherings."

Furthermore, Muqeet said that he has been asked in interviews whether he prays. Companies sometimes hold negative perceptions about Muslims taking extended prayer breaks on the job. However, his current employer recently offered him an empty room for prayer. For lunch, his co-workers choose restaurants that provide menus suitable for him to eat together. He declines dinner invitations to let them have their preferred food.

"I personally prefer companies without previous experiences with Muslim employees. They don't have a fixed image of Islam. Many people don't know that not all Muslim people practice their faith with the same intensity."

Cherine Bekkaoui, a language tutor from Morocco, provided a different account of her job-seeking experience. When she first settled in Ulsan and looked for private tutoring positions, she came across a platform that connects tutors to students.

Bekkaoui was interested in a vacancy for a French tutor. She had an interview for the job.

"[The clients] were satisfied with my language skills and everything," she said. "But I didn't hear from them until a year later."

When they eventually reached out to Bekkaoui and invited her to their office, the manager expressed reservations about connecting her with students due to her Muslim background, despite her not explicitly mentioning her religion during the initial interview.

"I think she deducted it or googled Morocco or something and assumed that I was wearing the hijab," she said. "So she wasn't sure I'd be a good fit or be able to connect well with the students."

Bekkaoui believes the manager had preconceived notions once she learned about her Muslim background.

"I never [have worn] the hijab, but I guess because she found out I ]am] Muslim, she drew this image in her head," she said. "And even if I [have], why does that mean that I wouldn't be good at my job?"

Taslima Tasnim Munni, a Bangladeshi resident in Korea on a D-2 visa, was disqualified from a job for wearing the hijab.

"Sometimes [employers] reject us because of the hijab," Munni said.

Munni can only work part-time, which leaves her few options, such as working at restaurants or packaging.

She recounted her job interview at a restaurant in Ansan, Gyeonggi. She said the employer requested she wear the restaurant's uniform, which she agreed. However, she was asked to remove her hijab, which she declined. After that, she was disqualified from the job.

Such incidents are rare, Munni said, adding she understands that employers have all kinds of concerns with Hijabi employees for kitchen roles.

"[The employer] thought that as we work in the kitchen, wearing hijab sometimes can cause an accident, like fire. Also, hot places can get us sick."

Munni also noted that not consuming pork and meat that is not certified Halal is sometimes seen as an inconvenience by employers.

Munni, who now has found a place of work, said, in the future, she would like to meet employers who "give some time for prayers" and let her wear the hijab freely.

Kasno, who now has a job in Malaysia as an academic, said when he was a master's student in 2011, his then-lab supervisor organized a networking event for the alums of the lab, with managers from companies and a CEO of a small firm in attendance.

Kasno was introduced to professionals and alums at the event, and while some showed interest in his work, one managerial figure told his subordinates not to hire Kasno, citing Kasno's dietary restrictions as a concern.

Kasno left Korea in 2011 but recently came back to pursue a doctorate in engineering and see how much Korea has changed in terms of technology and culture.

"I would say I do have some genuine Korean friends and [alums] who have been friendly to me for the past 12 years. I took this opportunity to meet them again and share our life stories," he said.

He added, "I treat Koreans as individuals. Not the whole group is the same."

Deena ElDesuky, a YouTuber who is a business strategist at a Korean company, said getting ready to answer stereotypical questions is a good idea while packaging a unique identity as a strength.

"'Muslims' is such a wide umbrella [term]," ElDesuky, also active as a lifestyle influencer, said. "I, personally, when looking for jobs, highlighted my Arab background and language skills and applied to places that 'needed' my set of skills, like Korean companies that do business in the Middle East."

"It's a win-win situation," she added.

She acknowledged that, in Korea, job candidates are often asked inappropriate and intrusive questions due to interviewers' lack of knowledge about Islam.

For this reason, she said job candidates are better off when they have answers ready for stereotypical questions, saying she almost has her "answers memorized."

"It's like a default script in my head. I even get asked the same questions in the same order sometimes. It's pretty comical.", she said.

ElDesuky added it's frustrating when she's evaluated based on her background, not on her individual capabilities.

She added most Korean companies prioritize Muslim job candidates' added value over their appearance or faith.

"I'm necessary — almost irreplaceable — in my organization and therefore in a position to make healthy demands and not be exploited, which is unfortunately the case with many expat workers. So I would advise anyone from a different background to use that in their favor, instead of trying to hide it in case you get 'shunned'," she said.

BY STUDENT REPORTER NOUHA BENJELLOUN ANDALOUSSI [kjd.kcampus@joongang.co.kr]