한국의 다문화가족 관련법제의 현황과 평가

Abstract

A society is defined as multi-cultural under the assumption that approximately 10% of its population constitutes of foreigners. Under this definition, with a 2.34% foreign population as of December 31st 2008, it may seem premature to label the Korean society as a multicultural one. However, according to the Korea Research Institute for Human Settlements "Grand Vision 2050" report, Korean society is expected to satisfy the aforementioned criterion as a multi-cultural society within the next forty years. Nevertheless, related government policies and programs arbitrarily continue to address the issue from an immigration policy perspective rather than approaching it as a multi-cultural issue. Supportive measures for members of multi-cultural families, such as migrant wives and their children, remain problematic since such measures are either particularly lacking or intent to unilaterally force assimilation. Such lack of intention to improve and establish related legal mechanisms and policies in the advent of a multi-cultural society is destined to result in the fixation of racial, cultural and economic problems as complex social discord. Thus, immediate pertinent research and the development of improved measures seem necessary. The issue of adaptation and assimilation of multi-cultural families and their children to Korean society remains a matter of desperate survival and is directly related to effective social integration of the overall Korean society. Thus, future legislation should guarantee basic rights to individuals based on customary principles, and secure minority rights within Korean society through corresponding legislative policies. The objective of this presentation is to enhance the understanding of current issues evolving around the multicultural society discourse and study relevant legal frameworks with regards to the already ongoing multi-culturization of Korean society.