Multiculturalism in South Korea: examining government aspirations through the second basic plan for immigration

Abstract

South Korea (henceforth, Korea) has grown into a significant regional destination in global migration networks via central government policies aimed at reaping the benefits of transnational human resources. However, the meaning and vision for multiculturalism remain fluid and unclear. This study applies Banks’ multicultural paradigms as a conceptual framework for the analysis of the Korean government’s Second Basic Plan for Immigration in order to determine the presence and strength of underlying conceptualizations of multiculturalism in policy planning in Korea. The findings reveal that the government has focused on the perceived cultural deprivation of immigrants and structural problems confronting multiculturalism. While immigrants are presented as a cause of problems, the government also openly acknowledges some of its own faults and the need for reform. The findings provide insight into competing visions for immigration and multiculturalism policies in Korea and inform recommendations to address policy concerns.

Keywords:

• Multiculturalism policy
• cultural diversity
• policy analysis
• multicultural education
• Korea