The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Korea to ease entry rules to boost tourism, domestic spending

  • 3

    Korea moves to shorten COVID-19 isolation period to 5 days

  • 5

    INTERVIEWCan art become stable investment source?

  • 7

    Will dismantling oligopoly result in successful bank industry reform?

  • 9

    Apple to open 5th retail store in Korea this week

  • 11

    Fintech, lifestyle products can help Korea grow trade ties with Hong Kong: city's trade promotion chief in Korea

  • 13

    Top envoy to US tapped as new national security advisor

  • 15

    Ex-journalist to lead NK defector support foundation

  • 17

    LX Hausys inks strategic alliance with Reynaers for high-end home windows market

  • 19

    Korea-Japan relations experts call for joint research to co-write history textbooks

  • 2

    From IVE to NCT DOJAEJUNG, K-pop hotshots brace for April chart race

  • 4

    IU says she was excited to share screen with Park Seo-joon in 'Dream'

  • 6

    Generation Z entrepreneurs turn oyster shells into trendy dish soap

  • 8

    Terraform Labs co-founder's extradition could be delayed more than 1 month

  • 10

    Celltrion chairman vows to develop new drugs, initiate M&As

  • 12

    INTERVIEWForeign-born entertainers seek to revolutionize local industry

  • 14

    Advancing biological weapons convention (BWC): the Philippine role

  • 16

    Korean players faced with uncertainty in new MLB season

  • 18

    Seoul participates in Asia's biggest smart city expo in Taipei

  • 20

    US to continue building defense capabilities against NK nuclear threats

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Fri, March 31, 2023 | 03:00
--------------
'Korea needs shift in multicultural policy'
Posted : 2012-11-26 17:46
Updated : 2012-11-26 17:46
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
Lawmaker Jasmine Lee
Lawmaker Jasmine Lee
By Lee Tae-hoon

The number of foreign residents who have stayed in Korea for more than three months has reached more than 1.25 million, about 2.5 percent of the country's population.

Given that one in 10 Koreans tie the knot with a foreigner and the number of children from such marriages has surpassed 20,000 per year since 2010, it has become practically impossible to define Korean society without taking them into account.

Nevertheless, Korea's immigration policy remains predominantly focused on assimilation, rather than helping new settlers maintain cultural diversity and their first language.

Jasmine Lee, a Philippine-born lawmaker of the ruling Saenuri Party, attributes the problem to the government's excessive emphasis on the provision of Korean language programs and financial assistance.

"A multicultural policy should be based on the understanding and acceptance of diverse cultures," the first-term lawmaker said in a recent interview with The Korea Times.

"Assimilation shouldn't be the goal."

She pointed out that assimilation has been the primary basis of the country's multicultural policy because the majority of Koreans see individuals with a non-Korean background as a vulnerable social group.

"Korea's multicultural policy lacks a blueprint and direction, while being predominantly focused on the provision of assistance," she said.

Diversity, key to multicultural society

The 36-year-old lawmaker underlined that a larger variety of foreign languages should be taught in school as part of the curriculum and tested for the university entrance exam.

She said it is regrettable that only a handful number of foreign languages are taught in high school along with the compulsory English, overlooking the importance of learning Chinese and other languages of the country's major partners.

"The first step in the pursuit of embracing diversity in education will be expanding foreign language education," Rep. Lee said.

A Nigerian child's story of survival and hope
A Nigerian child's story of survival and hope
2012-11-26 18:22  |  National

"This will open opportunities for migrants to work as teachers of their native tongue."

She said the government must ensure that young students have opportunities to learn about diverse cultures and receive foreign language education of their choice to meet the global mindset as language skills become increasingly important in this era of globalization.

Lee, however, acknowledged that a focus should be put on providing Korean language programs to interracial children and their non-Korean ethnic parents who continue to find the language barrier the greater obstacle in adjusting to life in Korea.

"Given that there is a limited budget and resources, priority should still be given to Korean language programs to prevent new migrants from being alienated due to language barriers," she said.

In a recent poll of multiracial students by the National Human Rights Commission, 41.9 percent of those surveyed replied that they have been teased or discriminated against by their classmates for their inability to pronounce Korean words properly.

Of the survey, 25.3 percent also answered that they encountered discrimination over their skin color.

Lessons learned from mistakes

Lee said the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology has been dispatching foreign language teachers to schools that have requested parents' language education for multiracial students.

However, she pointed out that the new program has yet to bear fruit in spite of having the good intention of embracing multiculturalism and allowing multiracial children to pick up their non-Korean parent's language.

"For instance, a school in Incheon requested a foreign language teacher for its students with an ethnic-Chinese background but ended up receiving a Mongolian language teacher," Lee said, noting that every three in four elementary and secondary schools have one or more multiracial students.

"It showed that the government dispatched the teacher without even doing the very basic research on the students' needs."

She added that the Mongolian teacher gave up teaching a foreign language and had to run a substitute class, titled "Understanding Multiculturalism."

"No one would object to such a program that gives children a chance of learning their foreign parent's language, but it is also important to provide it in an effective and efficient manner," she said.

Lee has proposed a bill that would mandate the central and local governments to beef up their programs that encourage multiracial families to preserve their diverse cultures and languages.



Emailleeth@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
Top 10 Stories
1College students turn to 1,000 won breakfast to beat inflation College students turn to 1,000 won breakfast to beat inflation
2Korean aesthetics, spirit live on at Gyeongbok Palace Korean aesthetics, spirit live on at Gyeongbok Palace
3[INTERVIEW] South Korea needs to make decision on sending lethal aid to Ukraine : CNAS CEO INTERVIEWSouth Korea needs to make decision on sending lethal aid to Ukraine : CNAS CEO
4Children, pregnant women executed, tortured in North Korea: report Children, pregnant women executed, tortured in North Korea: report
5Rare Joseon-era map returns home from Japan Rare Joseon-era map returns home from Japan
6South Korea nominates new ambassador to USSouth Korea nominates new ambassador to US
7French admiral highlights importance of multilateralism in Indo-Pacific region French admiral highlights importance of multilateralism in Indo-Pacific region
8Korea to scrap customs form for travelers without dutiable goods Korea to scrap customs form for travelers without dutiable goods
9Japanese top visitors to Korea in 2023 as tourism rebounds Japanese top visitors to Korea in 2023 as tourism rebounds
10Chun Doo-hwan's grandson to visit May 18 National Cemetery Chun Doo-hwan's grandson to visit May 18 National Cemetery
Top 5 Entertainment News
1From IVE to NCT DOJAEJUNG, K-pop hotshots brace for April chart race From IVE to NCT DOJAEJUNG, K-pop hotshots brace for April chart race
2IU says she was excited to share screen with Park Seo-joon in 'Dream' IU says she was excited to share screen with Park Seo-joon in 'Dream'
3[INTERVIEW] Foreign-born entertainers seek to revolutionize local industry INTERVIEWForeign-born entertainers seek to revolutionize local industry
4NewJeans, Apple join hands to bring immersive audio experience NewJeans, Apple join hands to bring immersive audio experience
5[INTERVIEW] Ahn Jae-hong on playing underdog basketball coach in 'Rebound' INTERVIEWAhn Jae-hong on playing underdog basketball coach in 'Rebound'
DARKROOM
  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group