Children of multicultural families come of age to brighter futures and persistent challenges
by KoreaJoongAngDaily
Members of multicultural families prepare traditional Korean Chuseok dishes during an event held at Korean Red Cross Seoul's volunteer center in Yangcheon District, western Seoul, on Sept. 9, 2024. [YONHAP]
In Korea, the children of multicultural families are now entering adulthood with college degrees, higher incomes and deeper roots — challenging old prejudices in a country long seen as ethnically homogenous.
As these families become a more visible part of Korean society, new government data shows that their socioeconomic standing is steadily improving, but also that discrimination and poor job quality remain unresolved hurdles for many.
More than half of marriage migrants and naturalized citizens have now lived in Korea for over 15 years for the first time, and household income and college enrollment rates have seen significant gains.
The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family on Thursday released the findings of the 2024 National Survey on Multicultural Families, which is conducted every three years. The latest survey was carried out last year and included in-depth interviews with 16,014 households.
A multicultural family refers to a household in which at least one spouse is a Korean national and the other is a marriage immigrant or naturalized citizen, as defined under the Multicultural Families Support Act.
Participants from multicultural families show off tteokguk (rice cake soup) they made during a special Lunar New Year class and hands-on program held at an education center in Yongin, Gyeonggi, on Jan. 22. [NEWS1]
According to Statistics Korea, the number of multicultural households rose from 367,775 in 2020 to 439,304 last year.
The Gender Ministry’s analysis found that 72.8 percent of these households were formed through marriages between Korean nationals and foreign spouses. Another 16.5 percent were families of naturalized citizens, while 10.6 percent were households without a marriage migrant or naturalized parent, but with children of multicultural backgrounds.
As the presence of these families grows, indicators of social and economic integration are trending upward.
The share of children from multicultural families who enrolled in higher education institutions reached 61.9 percent, a steep rise from 40.5 percent in 2021. The gap in college enrollment between these children and the general population also shrank, dropping from 31 percentage points to 13 in just three years.
A ministry official said the gains appear to reflect the cumulative impact of policies introduced since the early 2000s, including the enactment of the Multicultural Families Support Act and the expansion of multicultural family support centers nationwide.
“Children born to multicultural families in the early 2000s [are now of college age] and are beginning to feel the effects of these educational support initiatives,” the official said.
Economic conditions also improved. Roughly 65.8 percent of multicultural households earned over 3 million won ($2,155) per month, up 15 percentage points from 2021.
For the first time since the data series began, the income bracket with the largest share of families was between 3 million and 4 million won per month. The ministry attributed this shift to the rise in Korea’s minimum wage and the increasing income of Korean spouses.
More than half — 52.6 percent — of marriage migrants and naturalized citizens have lived in Korea for 15 years or more, up from 39.9 percent in 2021. It marked the first time this figure crossed the halfway point.
Job listings are posted at a job fair in Gumi, North Gyeongsang, on July 16. [YONHAP]
Still, challenges remain, particularly around social integration and labor market quality.
About 13 percent of marriage migrants and naturalized citizens said they had experienced discrimination in the past year because of their foreign background, especially at work or in their neighborhoods.
When asked how they responded, 80.7 percent said they “just endured it.”
Among children of multicultural families, 4.7 percent said they had experienced discrimination, up from 2.1 percent in 2021.
The employment rate among multicultural family members rose to 62.7 percent, but 39 percent were in low-skilled labor jobs, compared with 32.4 percent three years earlier. About 87.1 percent said they faced difficulties while looking for work, the survey found.
In response to the findings, the ministry said it would expand policies to better support multicultural families. Planned measures include youth communication programs, career counseling and vocational training, tailored for long-term residents and families with school-age children.
“There needs to be a shift in perception — from seeing multicultural families as ‘recipients of support’ to recognizing them as ‘members of our society who possess diverse strengths and potential and contribute to our community,’” said Choi Sung-ji, director general of youth and family policy at the ministry.
“We’ll work to create an environment where multicultural children and youth can pursue their dreams free from social gaps and discrimination,” Choi added.
Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
Reference Written by JEONG JONG-HOON [kim.juyeon2@joongang.co.kr] Provided by Korea JoongAng Daily
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