According to the Korean Statistical Information Service, more than 1.35 million immigrants residing in Korea are over the age of 15 years old. This is data which was gathered in 2022, and those under the age of 15 were excluded from the data. Hence, far more immigrants may be living in Korea than is shown.

Several policies are being devised to cope with this phenomenon. For example, The Ministry of Employment and Labor and the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that they will actively introduce foreign housekeepers from September 2024. This aims to relieve the burden of parenting and housekeeping and solve the current manpower shortage caused by the incredibly low birth rate and rapid population decline.

Could this be a sign that public opinion is warming up to the idea of foreign labor? Can it be a sign? So far, only negative public opinion about this situation prevails. Here is the view of Jonathan Chaloff, a prestigious immigration policy expert who works at the OECD International Migration Division. He said, “This policy is very unrealistic. It will not improve domestic women’s parenting experience or raise the birth rate. Considering the situation in Korea, the cost of getting domestic helpers into the country and helping them settle stably is also an important issue.” He also predicted that if unreasonable working and human rights violations occur, there is nothing to gain on both sides.

As it stands, this policy is not a viable solution. It only puts emphasis on the labor force of Asian women, who provide labor at relatively low costs. As of now, there is no visible respect for their culture, no agreement on labor wages, no security guarantee system, no fair reasonable treatment guarantee, and no creation implementation of a safe working environment.

In a multicultural society, consideration of immigrants and foreigners is not a matter of choice. Whether people love it or hate it, they will have no choice but to accept it. Realistically, accepting change is always tough. The process of change is followed by failure, hardship, and misconceptions. South Korea is in the process of growing pains. The key to overcoming this change wisely is to develop an attitude of understanding and respect for multiculturalism, as it will continue to shape Korea in the future.