Reforming Korea's Migration Policy

In the era of globalization, the notion of the migrant worker is not an unfamiliar one, albeit not a welcomed notion by countries intent on maintaining the semblance of a homogeneous society. As one of the earlier industrialized countries in East Asia, the Republic of Korea experienced firsthand the benefits of having migrant workers. It would certainly not be an understatement to state that the migrant worker has played an integral role in helping the Korean economy recover from the Asian economic crisis in the late 1990s and sustain itself in recent years. With the number of migrant workers only expected to grow in years to come, the impact of the migrant worker on Korean society will no longer be economical, but also social, political, and cultural. No longer is the migrant worker a temporary solution to overcome labor shortages but rather, it is, and has become a permanent part of today’s Korean society. It would therefore seem imperative that the Korean government devise longterm strategies as to how it will address these issues. This paper seeks to highlight the emergence and evolution of the migrant worker in the Republic of Korea, discuss consequences and implications for Korea’s continued migration policy, and make recommendations for reforming Korea’s migration policy.