For many centuries, Korea had its own distinct culture, without a lot of outside influence. Korean people had their own nationality, food and language, and were mostly located within the Korean peninsula. In the past century, however, things have been changing, starting with Japanese imperialism, followed by the division of North and South Korea. Since then, Korean people have moved all across the world, with various backgrounds, cultures or mixed heritages. Meanwhile, within Korea, there has been a growing population of migrant workers and their families. The definition of "Korean" is slowly changing, and there are new needs that need to be met! Let's take a look at the new migrant populations in Korea, the challenges they face and the support that they are given as a growing community in modern Korea.
When I moved to Hwacheon last fall, I found out that in many rural areas in Korea, there are large and growing migrant populations. People from other countries were moving into Korea to meet the demand for industrial, labor and shipping jobs. In my town in particular, there is a large population of families with "migrant mothers." In these families, typically, a Korean man will marry a woman from another country (usually within Asia). The children in these families are then usually raised entirely within Korean culture.
