Buddhism was known in Baekje since 384 CE. The Gyeyul 계율 ("Vinaya") school of Buddhist thought, which emphasized on monasticism and the disciplines that the Vinaya espoused, was brought into the Baekje kingdom via the Southern Dynasties of the splintered Chinese lands. Under the auspices of King Seong, who reigned in the span of the second quarter of the 6th century CE and was invested in restoring the vitality of his kingdom, the monk Gyeomik made a pilgrimage to India to retrieve Buddhist texts. Baekje's Vinaya school recieved recognition throughout the East Asian world as Japanese disciples set up a Vinaya school in their homeland after being trained in the Baekje kingdom.
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Buddhism in Korea
I wonder how many people in Korea are aware that Buddhism originated in India? Certainly anyone learned I have spoken to is aware of the fact. But every time I mention India to my students or colleagues I get a bewildering ignorant reaction. It seems they think the only thing India is good for is being mocked. A teacher commented about the 'bongos' in my Indian music. My colleagues gasped and shouted at each other when I told them my friend Suraj was an engineer. He was born in India and visited me here, and was shunned by the teachers, despite me making numerous attempts to introduce him and suggesting he take a basic maths class, which he had volunteered for, the suggestion being completely ignored by my co-teacher. In the course of events I revealed to them that he is an engineer, but they couldn't reconcile themselves to the idea. My co-teacher asked me over and over again if it was true. An attempt to introduce 'namaste' to a class in a lesson on greetings resulted in me sternly reprimanding the class for collapsing around the room laughing and making strange hand gestures and saying nonsense, while the teacher laughed in the corner. Wake up your ideas, Korea.
Odd
I haven't encountered much xenophobic behavior on the part of the people here, but it could very well do with where you're at. What part of the country are you in?
Those who consider themselves "Buddhist" are aware that Buddhism came from India (technically Nepal, but that place was part of the greater Bharata area at the time) and Buddhist mantras are pronounced in Korean-ized Sanskrit since the Sanskrit sound is considered sacred.
I'm in
Chungcheongbuk-do. My co-teacher told me upon my arrival that they thought I would be a woman but seeing I am not it was not a problem. He then said had I been black that would have been a problem. So yeah they are racist and xenophobic here, more so than any people I have ever met before.
Negative impression
I should probably say "Wake up your ideas Chungcheongbuk-do" or just wake up your ideas to my co-teacher (now ex co-teacher). Hearing this upon my arrival here left me with a negative impression of the country I have found very difficult to overcome.
Anyway, I thought Buddha lived in Bihar? Maybe that was Asoka.
Lumbini
The Guatama Buddha was born in Lumbini, which is now in Nepal. Asoka was born in Bihar.