Migrant workers

Up to now, there is no sign that the government effort to return the fertility rate to the replacement level is bearing fruit. It is not easy to raise the fertility rate as it is influenced by a host of factors, including women’s willingness to participate in labor market, the compatibility between work and family life for mothers, the cost of the care and education of children, and the social acceptance of out-of-wedlock births.

More recently, a growing number of foreigners from less developed countries are migrating to Korea (Figure 6-4). The influx of foreign workers into Korea began in the late 1980s when the country was suffering from a serious manpower shortage. There has also been growth in international marriages, with women from less developed countries, such as Vietnam, marrying Korean men. The government has undertaken various efforts to minimize the difficulties experienced by these foreign wives but the efforts are generally found half-hearted and ineffective. A more serious effort is called for to integrate foreign immigrants into the Korean society.

Figure 6-4. Share of foreigners in registered residents in Korea

Source : SaKong, Il and Koh, Youngsun, 2010. The Korean Economy Six Decades of Growth and Development. Seoul: Korea Development Institute.