Measures for Multicultural Social Inclusion

As of 2010, 9,330 foreigners were living in Seodaemun-gu and in this year alone, there were 211 new cross-border marriages, bringing the total to 3,963. Support measures for these foreign residents, who are increasing by the day, are necessary for social integration.

Various social integration measures have been drawn up for foreign residents and multicultural families living in Seodaemun-gu, with emphasis on Yeonhui-dong, which is home to over 3,500 Chinese migrants. We have launched a China Committee with Chinese committee members to embrace Chinese culture and seek ways for new Korea-China exchange. The sports tournaments held by the Overseas Chinese Schools are attended by many people in the community as part of our program.

January 18, 2012 Intercultural city encounters Europe-Asia／多文化共生都市 国際シンポジウム 39 4. Future Direction for Seodaemun-gu’s Multicultural Policies

The central government’s multicultural policies and measures are illustrated in the following table.

<Chart 6> Multicultural Policies by Ministry

Policy Field Aim of Program Content

Ministry of Education, Science,

and Technology

Formal Education

Human Resources Development

Assistance in learning progress for school curricula

Creation of environment to enhance learning ability

Korean language education support, Korean cultural experiences, global understanding education, education support, counseling and livelihood support, curriculum learning support

Ministry of Culture, Sports, and

Tourism

Cultural Consciousness Culture and the

Arts

Awareness raising for multiculturalism

Migrants’ understanding of Korean language and culture Understanding of cultural diversity

Development of Korean language textbooks, Korean language education, cultural guidebooks, training of teachers, festivals, social/cultural education, cultural activities

Ministry of Justice

Immigration Control Nationality &

Immigration

National stability through respect for law & order

Social inclusion of migrants

Korean language education, social inclusion education

Ministry of Health and Welfare

Family Welfare Social Welfare

Social inclusion of female marriage immigrants

Enhancement of welfare for

multicultural families Korean language education, cultural experiences, childcare, cooking classes, couples counseling

Ministry of Gender Equality and Family

Gender Equality Women’s

Rights

Improvement of rights for migrant women

Social/cultural inclusion for migrant women

As can be clearly seen in Table 6, the ministries’ policies may deal in different fields but are essentially the same programs. This redundancy in programs stems from the supervisors’ lack of understanding in multicultural policies and an unclear definition of boundaries among the different fields.

As a result, the programs were planned only for migrants and included multicultural families in that category. Because the effects of the policies were limited to only those migrants who participated in the programs, there has been limited influence of a broader social inclusion policy that can improve our

January 18, 2012 Intercultural city encounters Europe-Asia／多文化共生都市 国際シンポジウム 40 society’s awareness for multiculturalism. Therefore, future multicultural policies and their enforcement should not be carried out top down by the government; rather, migrants and their communities must form a closer relationship so that these measures can be tailored to meet the actual demands of the beneficiaries.

Much effort is required to move towards a symbiotic multicultural society based on global institutions and practices and an improved global awareness. Policy systems and measures must be put in good order, and multicultural programs must be reflected in the ministries’ budgets and duties.

Furthermore, a closer relationship with the communities must be formed to create a governance structure that works from the bottom up, to create a truly multicultural society.

Seodaemun-gu’s multicultural policies will follow these future directions.

First of all, Seodaemun-gu will establish a system of administrative services for multicultural families and resident aliens. Foreign language information guides, dedicated departments and manpower, and improved medical and welfare services should be eagerly sought to meet the everyday demands of migrants and their tourism, visa, and education needs. A systematic management system must be established. When a marriage migrant’s entry into Korea is reported by the Korean Immigration Service, the local autonomous provinces must be informed, and when the immigrant files for a marriage certificate, this information must be sent to the respective multicultural family support center. Through such systematic management, the welfare information needed by multicultural families will be accurately delivered to the relevant parties from the moment the immigrants enter Korea and settle in our society.

Second, ease of communication should be made possible by strengthening the functions of public information. Since it takes much time for foreigners to learn the Korean language, they are limited in participating in activities that require the use of language. To solve this challenge, language education must be offered to migrants, and an interpretation/translation system set up to provide administrative, medical, and welfare information in foreign languages. Furthermore, the websites and leaflets issued by public organizations must be translated into foreign languages, and a foreigner monitor group or foreigner community should be formed so that migrants can have easy access to the information they need in their daily lives.

Third, a network must be established among the relevant organizations that support multicultural families to offer an organic and integrated support/education system. Clinics must provide pregnancy and childbirth support; childcare facilities must offer multicultural integration education for marriage

January 18, 2012 Intercultural city encounters Europe-Asia／多文化共生都市 国際シンポジウム 41 migrant women; and the public education system must offer various measures to support multicultural children adjust to school life. Parents can participate in multicultural education, and as Seodaemun-gu is home to many universities, college students can participate in mentor programs to aid marriage migrants settle in Korea.

Fourth, global assistance that migrants need in their everyday lives must be put in order.

Support must be given to the creation of foreigner networks, and sister city agreements and international exchange with countries abroad must be more actively pursued. Furthermore, we will consider offering public housing to international students or migrant laborers. Also, we will launch a program for mutual understanding of other cultures. Multicultural programs that engage public departments and organizations, such as Korean language lessons, tours of cultural sites, and library services, will be expanded, and various programs will be launched to introduce foreign languages and cultures to our communities to foster mutual understanding.

Fifth, we will pursue policies to enhance the global awareness of Koreans. Civic education on multiculturalism must be included in all stages of the curriculum from kindergarten to the university level, and it is urgently needed that we develop appropriate textbooks and train professional teachers for this curriculum. Civic education can only have a limited effect if it is confined to formal education; therefore, various organizations must offer global awareness education across all levels. Furthermore, education material for migrant children and textbooks that teach coexistence with our migrant neighbors will be developed, along with guides for returnee children and more interpretation/translation services.

Sixth, measures to realize multicultural coexistence will be established. Multicultural families are outnumbered in our society and therefore are excluded in a majority-rule democracy. There need to be various attempts made to encourage mutual understanding and common consensus so that our society can ease intercultural conflict and accept each other’s differences. We will create an environment that allows foreign residents to participate in local activities and come up with ways to respect the independent activities of these residents while also offering support and encouraging exchange.

Furthermore, we will plan cultural festivals and activities through which everyone can become one, and we will develop various programs to learn to live and share with our “new neighbors.”

January 18, 2012 Intercultural city encounters Europe-Asia／多文化共生都市 国際シンポジウム 42 5. Conclusion

Unlike the West, which has a civil society that became firmly established over a long history and which has experienced the incoming of many ethnic minorities, Korean society has a structure that is weak when it comes to embracing the inflow of foreign culture. Therefore, Korea’s multicultural policies must be based on openness and a new perspective on cultural diversity and differences in values.

In the long term, Korea’s multicultural policies must be oriented towards social inclusion.

Welfare policies for immigrants by marriage and migrant laborers must be specifically drawn up, and an active social inclusion policy must be pursued. Furthermore, local governments, universities and other educational institutions, public departments and civic organizations must collectively work to create measures for a multicultural society based on coexistence. In order to establish a consistent and stable multicultural policy, realizing the needs of and understanding the demands of the beneficiaries of the policy must be the utmost priority. Moreover, a universal and reliable alternative must be put in place so that multicultural families, migrant laborers, and capable foreign talents can comfortably settle in Korea and contribute to our society. Measures must be sought to enhance the effectiveness of policies by working with universities, and local governments must pursue social inclusion programs in their regions in line with the changes in the central government’s policy.

Social inclusion for foreign residents cannot end as a simple, one-time program. The policies of the central government and local governments must be aligned, like the cogs of two wheels, to ultimately achieve our goals. Furthermore, efforts to integrate our society and to enhance mutual understanding of one another must be achieved together with the migrants themselves and the general Korean populace.

<References>

Kim Eun-mi and Kim Ji-hyeon. “The Formation and Social Organization of a Nascent Multi-Ethnic Society in South Korea Illustrations from Seoul's Foreign Communities.” The Korean Journal of Sociology. 42^nd Edition, Book 2. pp. 1-35.

January 18, 2012 Intercultural city encounters Europe-Asia／多文化共生都市 国際シンポジウム 43 Park Jin-kyung (2010). “Characteristics and Direction of Korea’s Multicultural Policy: On Multicultural Policy Model Theory.” The Korean Association for Policy Studies Summer Convention & International Symposium Collection.

Ministry of Justice Korea Immigration Service (2011). 2010 Korea Immigration Service/Foreigner Policy Annual Statistics. Gwacheon: Ministry of Justice Korea Immigration Service.

Seoul Seodaemun-Gu (2011). The 25^th 2010 Seodaemun Annual Statistics. Seoul: Seodaemun-Gu.

Yang Ki-ho (July 2006). “Inward Internationalization for Foreign Residents in Korea.” Journal of Local Government Studies. 18^th Edition, Book 2. pp. 67-85.

Lee Jong-yoon (2010). “Study on Korea’s Laws on Multicultural Policy.” Multicultural Content Research.

4^th Edition. pp. 163-185.

Jang Ji-pyo (2008). “Completion of Multicultural Social Inclusion Programs.” Hearing on Measures to Implement Multicultural Social Inclusion Programs. Ministry of Justice Korea Immigration Service.

Hong Ki-won (September 2009). “Challenges and Remedies for Korea’s Multicultural Policies.” Korean Public Management Review. 23^rd Edition, Book 3. pp. 169-189.

January 18, 2012 Intercultural city encounters Europe-Asia／多文化共生都市 国際シンポジウム 44 Shinjuku City Initiatives on Interculturalism

Hiroko Nakayama, Mayor of Shinjuku City