Immigration Policy and Korea’s Future
By Kim Won-sook (Head of Gwangju Immigration Office)
In the 21st century, Korea seems to stand at a historical juncture to become an obvious multicultural society that may internationally contribute to world peace and anti-poverty, and domestically create an environment for people with different ethnicities to live in harmony. What is behind the idea is Korea’s close friendship with other countries since it only has the history of realizing economic development and democratization after all the pain under the Japanese colonialism, war and division rather than participating in such brutal invasions. Currently, Korea has about 1.4 million foreigners from all over the world with high hopes and dreams, living harmoniously with the local citizens.
The immigration policy of Korea offers ways to grant temporary or permanent social status to foreign nationals desiring to migrate to the Republic of Korea and to deal with matters on necessary infrastructures for their living in Korea from an overall perspective: political, economic, social and cultural. Philosophical and academic in-depth research is needed prior to policy-making and its implementation because it strongly affects the whole society not to mention the individuals including Korean citizens.
Below is a brief explanation of the Korean immigration policy from the period of liberation on August 15th, 1948 to the current administration.
First, the basic direction for immigration control policy should become a balance between regulating and welcoming foreign visitors, since immigration control was regarded as a matter of life for the citizens. The policy for foreign workers was designed to invite outstanding talents and to restrict the inflow of unskilled workers. Such approaches still remain even in the current Lee administration despite much of the problems eased under the Employment Permit System for foreigners introduced in the previous Roh administration.
Second, since 1993, the issue of the human rights of foreigners has become a major concern, particularly on the treatment of industrial trainees. The Kim Young-sam administration took various corresponding actions for the trainees with Korean workers and the Kim Dae-jung administration strove to prevent human rights abuses and discrimination against foreigners by launching the National Human Rights Commission. Only after 2004 when the Roh administration introduced the Employment Permit System, did the controversy end over the mismatch between legal and real status of industrial trainees. As the number of married migrants in Korea started to dramatically increase in the 2000s, issues regarding their rights have also surfaced.
Third, the Roh administration marked a watershed in the history of the immigration policy. In detail, the immigration policy under the Roh administration transformed the policies from focusing on regulation and control to social integration mainly focusing on better treatment and human rights protection for foreigners. The Roh administration also reformed the immigration policy system to a comprehensive and systematic way from the previously fragmented way through various government agencies. As a result, Korea’s immigration policy has seen a quantitative change where it functions and serves as a tool to integrate multiple cultures and values in society rather than the simple order-keeping of the past immigration control policy.
Finally, the social integration policy in Korea draws on the open-door multicultural society as a basic direction, where Korean citizens and foreigners live in harmony by embracing different cultures and foreigner-friendly policies. Such a basic idea is not only universal in a civilized society but also cultural in parallel with the founding principle of Korea hongikingan, meaning humanitarianism, or the basic principle of the constitution. Therefore, when it comes to social integration in a multicultural society, it will be desirable to flexibly undertake the social integration policy not just by applying western multiculturalism or assimilation to Korean society.
The immigration policy is a relatively new subject for many Koreans. However, many people from other countries are coming to Korea with dreams of happiness and opportunities. Immigrants will help the nation grow and prosper and make the society more dynamic. Immigration is no longer an option but a must to promote major national interest in this 21st century. It is highly necessary to come up with a new immigration policy and a system that meet the new demands for the new era to maximize advantages and reduce the burdens from immigration.
This article appeared in the March 2012 Gwangju News print edition.