Migrant issues left off agenda in presidential race

Presidential candidates pose ahead of the second presidential debate at KBS Studio in Seoul, Friday. From left are Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party of Korea, Kim Moon-soo of the People Power Party, Kwon Young-kook of the Korean Democratic Labor Party and Lee Jun-seok of the Reform Party. Joint Press Corps

Despite Korea’s efforts to attract more foreign workers amid a deepening demographic crisis, immigration issues have been largely absent from the presidential campaign platforms. So far, only one candidate has introduced official policies addressing the needs of foreign residents and migrant populations.

Experts warn that immigration can no longer be treated as a peripheral issue, emphasizing the need for serious discussions and long-term policy planning.

The number of foreign residents in Korea exceeded 2.65 million last year, making up 5.2 percent of the total population, according to data from the Ministry of Justice. Among them, long-term residents — including permanent residents and foreign spouses — now make up more than 36 percent, highlighting a shift toward increasingly settled immigrant communities.

Migrant workers continue to play a vital role in manufacturing hubs across rural areas and in Gyeonggi Province, which surrounds Seoul — underscoring the urgent need for inclusive and sustainable immigration policies.

As the reliance on migrant workers increases, some politicians have started advocating for stricter immigration policies.

During the People Power Party's (PPP) primary, former party leader Han Dong-hoon proposed creating an immigration agency, while some Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) lawmakers urged their party to include immigration issues in its campaign agenda.

However, despite these early signals, immigration and multicultural policies have been largely absent from presidential candidates’ platforms since the start of the official campaign for the June 3 election, with no mention even during televised debates.

DPK candidate Lee Jae-myung has not presented any pledges related to immigrants or foreign residents. In his 2022 presidential election campaign, he promised to establish a government control tower for immigration, create a multilingual support system for emergency services and expand protections for marriage migrants. However, such pledges are absent from the current presidential race.

PPP candidate Kim Moon-soo has yet to put forward any pledges addressing immigration or issues related to foreign residents. While serving as labor minister, he opposed the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s proposal to exclude Filipino caregivers from minimum wage protections, citing violations of the Labor Standards Act and International Labour Organization conventions. Despite this earlier stance, his current campaign offers no specific commitments on foreign labor or immigrant rights.

Reform Party candidate Lee Jun-seok has faced criticism for proposing a lower minimum wage specifically for migrant workers. His campaign centers largely on attracting foreign labor, with little consideration for the broader challenges faced by immigrant communities.

The only candidate to explicitly address the needs of immigrants and foreign residents is Kwon Young-kook of the Korean Democratic Labor Party. Kwon has pledged to establish a dedicated immigration agency, enact the basic law on immigrants and revise the Refugee Act.

Immigrant communities hold a performance encouraging voter participation following a press conference calling on presidential candidates to adopt inclusive policies at the National Assembly Constitution Memorial Hall in Yeongdeungpo District, Seoul, Monday. Courtesy of Seoul YMCA

Immigrant communities have called on presidential candidates to adopt policies that strengthen the rights and inclusion of foreign residents.

According to the Seoul YMCA, a leading advocate for immigrant rights, only the DPK and the Korean Democratic Labor Party have responded, indicating they would incorporate the group’s proposals. However, with just about a week left before the presidential election, no concrete policy details have been released.

"The way a country embraces multicultural policies is a key measure of how democratic it truly is," said Ju Gun-ihl, representative of Seoul YMCA's civil society movement department.

"It’s deeply concerning that immigration and multicultural issues are entirely missing from the campaign agendas. Even if some foreign residents can’t vote, it’s crucial to ensure their protection and build an inclusive society," he added.

Yoon In-jin, a sociology professor at Korea University, stressed that immigration has become an unavoidable issue Korea must confront.

"Immigration is no longer optional. It’s a necessary response to the country’s demographic challenges and regional extinction," he said.

He noted that the current presidential race, taking place under unusual circumstances following the imposition of martial law and the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol, has pushed immediate political and economic concerns to the forefront, leaving long-term issues like immigration policy on the sidelines.

The professor also emphasized that even if immigration and multicultural issues are being overlooked during the campaign, the next administration cannot ignore them.

"Whoever is elected must develop a comprehensive strategy for the country’s demographic future, working with experts in immigration policy," he said.