Page "Multiculturalism" Paragraph 69

Although many debates still take place in discussing whether Korea really is a muticultural society or not, it is a mutual agreement that Korea has probably entered a stage of multiculturalism and has moved away from its homogenous identity.

It is a notified fact that around 35 ~ 40 % of Korean man in the rural area outside Seoul are engaged with wives from different countries.

According to the Dongponews, an online media that connects migrants and immigrants of Korea, the number of foreigners residing in Korea have reached 1. 43 million by 2012, and is likely to increase more and more, reaching to the scale that cannot be undermined.

More than that, Korea is going through a serious stage of low birthrate, leading to an aging society in shortage of labor forces.

Another big changing factor is that Korea already has multi-ethnic, multi-cultural families appearing in great numbers, as one in every ten marriage is between a Korean and a foreigner, and in the rural side this portion is greater.

As such change takes place in such short period of time, it can be understood that many conflicts arise among different groups of people ; the immigrants, government, and the rest of the members in Korean society.

Recently a lot of media attention is given to these people ; documentaries on the lives of wives and their children are often shown, as well as talk shows that portrays struggles and conflicts these people go through such as Love in Asia ; a talk show hosting foreign wives, sharing their experience of marriage and family life, broadcased by the national broadcasting channel, KBS.

Although whether these channels of media provide the right source of direction to the public is debatable, it is factually true that many Koreans nowadays do recognize the change that the society is going through due to these media attention.

Government policies have also changed very recently ; a lot of welfare programs and extracurricular activities are launched under the name of " multicultural policy.

" The policy is quite recent phenomenon and therefore its effects and counter effects need to be assessed in many different ways.

Further studies and development in this area is obviously required, as this is a very rapid social change to Koreans and their society.