Yongin City set up a comprehensive support plan for multicultural families this year. For more 
substantial support, Yongin City held ‘Discussion for Marriage Immigrants’ in Cheoljjuk Room 
of the City Office at the Administration Town at 2pm on the 25th. 
About 30 marriage immigrants from China, Vietnam, Uzbekistan, Japan, Rumania, Cambodia 
and Mongolia attended and listened to the introduction of support policies of Yongin City for 
multicultural families. They also presented their difficulties and hardships in the process of 
settling in Korean society. Participants also took time on possible policy directions to help 
marriage immigrants better adjust to life in Korea. 
Son Gon (China, 31) gained attention during the discussion by arguing that it is urgent to 
prepare a policy that can improve citizens’ understanding of marriage immigrants. He said, 
“People tend to look down on marriage immigrantsforeigners.” He said that what marriage 
immigrants need the most is for their husbands and family members to understand the 
immigrants’ country and the cultural differences.  
Lee Deok Min (Hong Kong, 35) said, “Thank you for organizing today’s discussion so that 
marriage immigrants like me can voice our opinions. I hope there are more programs for 
multicultural families so that more marriage immigrants can develop their own abilities.” 
Since the opening of the multicultural support center in 2008, Yongin City has implemented 
various support programs for multicultural families and received positive responses. In order 
to promote the support programs in a more systemic and sustained way, the city set up four 
major support directions: support for the settlement of marriage immigrants in Korea, 
expansion of family experience activities, family crisis support service, and improvement of 
awareness about multicultural families. In line with this, various programs will be introduced 
such as legal education, economic education, education on parents-in-law and spouses, 
multicultural family camp, sporting events for multicultural families, experience of Korean 
traditional holidays, and language development support for children. 
Manager of the Family & Female Division at Yongin City Office said, “More inclusive programs 
will be expanded upon and more active support will be provided to offer job opportunities.” 
She asked marriage immigrants to be more active in adjusting to local society. 
As of the end of 2009, the number of marriage immigrants in Yongin City stood at 1,576. 
Chinese nationals accounted for the largest number followed by Korean Chinese, 
Vietnamese, Japanese and American. In Cheoingu alone, 43% of the total marriage 
immigrants in Yongin,675 people, reside.