○ Survey covers 609 long-term foreign residents and naturalized citizens living in Gyeonggi Province
○ Participants discuss discrimination in daily life and public services, as well as related policy needs
○ In-depth interviews to inform measures for preventing discrimination and protecting rights
On September 18, Gyeonggi Province held an interim briefing to review the findings of its survey on racial discrimination against residents with migrant backgrounds and discuss future policy directions. The briefing took place at the Gyeonggi Migrant Integration Support Center.
The study is being conducted under the “Gyeonggi Province Ordinance on the Prohibition of Racial Discrimination and the Protection of Human Rights for Residents with Migrant Backgrounds,” the first ordinance of its kind enacted by a local government in Korea. The Gyeonggi Migrant Integration Support Center is overseeing the study.
The survey covered 609 long-term foreign residents and naturalized citizens aged 19 or older who live in the province. Based on the findings, the research team analyzed differences in experiences of discrimination according to respondents’ characteristics.
The briefing was attended by Gyeonggi officials, representatives of the Gyeonggi Migrant Integration Support Center, members of the joint research team, and experts in related fields. Participants discussed how residents with migrant backgrounds perceive racial discrimination and the difficulties they face in daily life and in institutional settings, their experiences of discrimination when using public services, and the policies needed to raise awareness and strengthen institutional protections.
In particular, participants noted that individual factors—such as Korean language proficiency, residency status, income, and nationality—cannot fully explain experiences of discrimination. They emphasized the need to examine the broader social and institutional factors that contribute to such experiences.
Yoon Hyun-ok, Director of Gyeonggi Province’s Immigrant Society Policy Division, stated, “We are currently conducting in-depth interviews to better understand the difficulties that residents with migrant backgrounds encounter in their daily lives and the factors behind them,” adding, “Based on the survey findings, we will develop policies that provide comprehensive support—from prevention and counseling to reporting and redress—as well as practical field manuals for preventing and responding to racial discrimination.”