Urdu in Korea, South

Introduction / History

Aryan tribes entered India about 1500 BC mixing with mongoloids, Greeks and Huns. Through the generations this caused the Indian features of the people to gradually become more Caucasian and their languages to become more diverse. In later centuries Muslim influence promoted the linguistic change out of which the Urdu language eventually developed. Hindi and Urdu are similar languages, but they are divided by religious affiliation; Hindi is spoken by the Hindu peoples while Urdu is spoken by Muslims. Urdu is heavily laden with Persian and Arabic words and is written in the Persian script. Today when one thinks of South Asian Muslim languages, Urdu is the first one that comes to mind. Urdu is seldom a heart language, but it is the trade language of Pakistan.

Urdu speakers come from all walks of life, but they usually originate in either Pakistan or northern India. The Urdu possess a sense of group identity based on cultural and historical factors: the Islamic religion, a Persian cultural tradition, the Urdu language, and the tradition of Muslim supremacy in northern India. In recent years many Urdu-speaking Muslims have emigrated to Bahrain, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, searching for economic opportunities. Skilled laborers and highly educated professionals among them have also emigrated to Western Europe, North America, and British Commonwealth countries all over the world. There are also small numbers of them in South Korea and Japan.

What Are Their Lives Like?

Starting in 2007, Pakistanis come to South Korea as university students to study science and engineering at the PhD level. Those with potential stayed and took high-paying jobs.

Though they are small in number, they come together to celebrate their independence day with music, dance, and plenty of food.

What Are Their Beliefs?

Almost all Urdu speakers are Sunni Muslims. They believe the teachings of the Koran and the Hadith, but they also often lean on pre-Islamic spiritual forces for their daily needs. A faithful Muslim will pray five times a day, fast during the month of Ramadan, give alms to the poor, go on the pilgrimage to Mecca, and obey what their imams teach them.

What Are Their Needs?

Though South Korea is a great place for them to excel economically, it is a difficult place for the Urdu to learn of the Savior who came as the light of the world. There are few if any followers of Christ among Urdu speakers in the UAE, and few believers there to show them the way to the cross. Most of the Urdu consider the moral values of Western Christians to be substandard, since their perception is based on the moral decay they see in Hollywood. For this reason, they are very suspicious of opening up to anything they perceive as "Christian." They need to see living Christianity lived out.

Prayer Points

Pray for the Lord to thrust out workers to the Urdu speakers in South Korea.
Pray for persons of peace among the Urdu people who will accept Christ's ambassadors.
Pray for a massive movement to Christ among Urdu speakers this decade leading to spiritual and physical blessings in Christ.
Pray for resources like the JESUS Film and Urdu language broadcasts to become widely available.

Text Source:   Joshua Project