Public opinion, social cohesion, and the politics of immigration in South Korea

ABSTRACT

This article analyses public opinion in order to explore the politics of immigration in South Korea. It argues that there are divergent views about immigration and the obligations of the host society to accommodate migrants. Younger, better-educated citizens are representative of a majority that has a generally positive view of immigrants and immigration. A sizeable minority of older and less well-educated citizens, however, is warier of immigration and its effects on South Korean society. Men were more likely than women to have a positive view of immigration, but the differences along gender lines were small. The article also finds that attitudes towards immigration depend to a significant degree on how migrants are described. It thereby highlights the possibility that South Korea’s leaders could use immigration for political gain while also seeking to attract new migrants in order to resolve the country’s economic and demographic problems.

KEYWORDS:

• Politics of migration
• public opinion
• national identity
• South Korea

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

ORCID

David Hundt http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2019-1927

Notes on contributor

David Hundt is a Senior Lecturer in International Relations in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Deakin University, Melbourne.