KMC to Coordinate Multicultural Policy

03-09-2010 19:48
KMC to Coordinate Multicultural Policy
By Kwon Mee-yoo
Staff Reporter

The Korea Multicultural Congress (KMC), a nationwide association, was launched Tuesday with the purpose of helping bring harmony to Korean society that is fast becoming multicultural.

The KMC will link up support centers and foreign residents. While individual centers focus on providing welfare services for multicultural families in a given area, the KMC is responsible for coordinating inter-regional cooperation and helping the government map out policies and education.

Kwon Young-kee, president of the KMC and a lawyer, said that the organization is aimed at smoothing Korea's transition from a "homogenous" society to a multicultural one.

"Young Korean women are reluctant to have babies, bringing down the birthrate, while married immigrants give birth to four or five children. This will eventually impact on demographics," Kwon said.

He added that multiculturalism should not be discussed only at the level of providing welfare for those families. "Being multicultural is a national, ethnic issue. We will cover education, legislation, labor, public peace and more in settling the issue in Korea," he said.

A former judge Kwon said a case led him to take an interest in multiculturalism. "I deliberated as judge on the Pescamar 15 case in 1996. The murder was a result of lack of understanding of each other due to cultural gaps," Kwon said. "If not for the case, I wouldn't have been working for multiculturalism." The Pescamar was a Korean oceangoing tuna vessel, on which a Chinese Korean sailor killed his Korean shipmates.

Insooni, the mixed-race singer, has been appointed as a representative of KMC. "Insooni was picked for her understanding of the purpose of the congress," Kwon said.

He said many Koreans are not familiar with multiculturalism. "There are some 1.2 million foreigners in Korea now, but the number will soon grow to 4 or 5 million."

Education is the first priority of the KMC. "Koreans have to accept multiculturalism and education will play an important role," the president said.

The target will be government employees, military personnel and police officers. "They are the people leading Korea and it is important to educate them first. If they understand multiculturalism, citizens will follow the idea," Kwon said.

"The world is moving from an oil war to a human resources war," Kwon said. "If Korea does not receive a younger generation from overseas, the future of the country might be in danger."

meeyoo@koreatimes.co.kr