With a globalization, we are living in a small world. The provincial support to foreign residents is a small steps of cultural integration.
Korean society is
becoming more diverse; to help both native Koreans and foreign residents adapt
to these changes, new policies and measures have been put in place. That is why
in Gyeonggi-do (Gyeonggi Province), which has the highest concentration of
foreign residents in the nation, there has been a proliferation of social welfare
centers and organizations that help promote multiculturalism and support foreign
residents.
Foreign Population of Gyeonggi-do
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Source: Gyeonggido Data Dream |
In 2019,
Gyeonggi-do was home to 250,595 foreign men and 163,723 foreign women, totaling
414,318 and marking an increase of 5,792 over the previous
year. The province, which has the largest population of foreigners living in Korea, has implemented different measures to support foreign residents with resettlement,
integration, and the realization of their desired lives in Korea.
Support For Foreigners In Gyeonggi-do
The cities of Ansan, Suwon, Hwaseong, and Siheung have
the largest foreign populations in Gyeonggi-do. To help local foreign
residents, support centers have been established in each city.
Gyeonggi Institute of Research and Policy Development for Migrants' Human Rights
The GyeonggiInstitute of Research and Policy Development for Migrants' Human Rights(GMHR) is a center for research and policy formation which was founded in 2012
in Ansan City, Gyeonggi-do. The center’s mission includes:
·
Fostering mainstream acceptance and
institutionalizing migrants’ human rights;
·
Leading research in the field as a foremost
institute;
·
Helping Gyeonggi-do become a leading
provincial autonomy in terms of migrants’ human rights as recognized by international
society;
·
Helping local communities with the
transition to and acceptance of multiculturalism while promoting the recognition
of migrants’ human rights.
The center’s main
activities include research, development, and policy implementation for the support
of human rights for migrants residing in Gyeonggi-do. The GMHR also monitors
workplaces with high numbers of migrant workers, evaluating the working and
living conditions. The center organizes human rights education and training programs
so as to prevent human rights violations, and provides human rights counseling
services when needed.
Foreign residents
who have legal disputes with their workplaces, face discrimination (based on gender,
race, etc.) or encounter other problems are always able to reach out to the
center for counseling support. While the center’s headquarters are located in
Ansan City, support services are offered in other Gyeonggi cities as well.
Support for Foreign Residents in Ansan
In Gyeonggi Province,
Ansan City has the largest number of foreign residents. According to the Ansan Multicultural Support Headquarters, the 80,000 foreigners living in Ansan
come from 100 different countries.
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| Students of Korean classes of Ansan Multicultural Support Center ⓒ안산시외국인지원본부 |
The Ansan
Multicultural Support Center offers foreign residents publicly available
services including Korean classes, medical help, legal advice, and interpretation assistance, as well as support for sports and cultural activities and more. The
center strives to ensure Ansan’s foreign residents have the help they need for resettlement
and integration into local society.
Support for Foreign Residents & Multicultural Families in Hwaseong
Hwaseong City has
also created different support streams for its foreign residents. The HwaseongImmigrants Community Center was established in 2009 to provide foreigners
with services related to education, counseling, health, culture, and more. The
center seeks to create a community that supports foreign residents’ human
rights and promotes a harmonious coming together of native Korean residents and
local foreign residents.
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| Graduates of employment education program in Hwaseong Multicultural Family Support Center ⓒ화성시다문화가족지원센터 |
The center operates
programs that help foreigners build support communities, organize sports
activities, participate in vocational training, and more. The center also
provides consultation services for foreign residents facing issues related to
work, immigration, health, education, and other matters. In addition, the
center offers social welfare services such as free health consultations and
check-ups.
The centers’ long
list of services also includes educational programs. While some of these
programs target foreign residents, others include multicultural education
targeted at native Korean residents with the aim of increasing cultural
tolerance and understanding.
The HwaseongMulticultural Family Support Center was established with the help of Suwon University
so as to ensure that multicultural families can settle safely and happily in
Korean society. The center helps the families deal with socio-cultural friction,
issues with child-rearing, and many other issues that they might encounter. The
center offers services such as Korean language education, mentoring and support
for foreign spouses (to help them adjust to life in Korea), at-home family
education (on matters related to child-rearing and parenting), mental health
support and education, support and coaching for bilingual child reading, and
more.
Support for foreign residents in Suwon
The SuwonCenter for International Cooperation (SWCIC) was established with the goal of
strengthening Suwon’s international ties with cities around the world while
also improving the global mindset of local residents. The center seeks to
elevate the global presence of the local private sector and to help the local
community embrace differences among cultures and people.
The center offers diverse
programs, services, and resources to native Korean residents, foreignresidents, local businesses, and more. These include:
·
Foreign language education for local
residents;
·
Korean language education for foreign
residents;
·
Global cultural education for local
residents (promoting empathy for and acceptance of other cultures);
·
Korean Culture Day (helping foreign
residents understand Korean history and culture);
·
Support programs for children of
multicultural families;
·
Cultural exchange activities with Suwon’s
sister cities;
·
Scholarships for promising foreign individuals
wishing to study in Suwon;
·
Scholarships for Suwon residents hoping to
study abroad; and
·
International development projects in
cities abroad.
Commercial of SWCIC
The Suwon City Migrant Community Service Center was established with the aim of promoting
a multicultural hub in which residents of different backgrounds can gather,
exchange support, and receive the support they need to be empowered. The center
strives to help foreign residents live healthy, happy, and meaningful lives.
The services and
programs provided by the center include language education, cultural training
and exchange, vocational training, counseling (on a variety of issues faced by
foreigners), medical care, and personal services such as hair-cuts.
Siheung City Foreign Welfare Center
The SiheungCity Foreign Welfare Center was founded to support Siheung’s foreign
residents and improve cultural exchange and multicultural acceptance throughout
the city. The center offers foreign residents a variety of services free of
charge including Korean language education, vocational training, support for
the creation of nationality-based communities, counseling (for different
issues), cultural gatherings, cultural activity clubs, sports-related
activities, and more.
Whether it’s
marriage immigrants, foreign nationals of Korean ethnicity, or foreign workers,
settling in a new country can be difficult and stressful. But, through
different support programs, Gyeonggi-do is endeavoring to minimize the issues
faced by foreign residents. Gyeonggi-do is striving to nurture a diverse and
harmonious multicultural society.
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