The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Kim Da-mi, Jeon So-nee team up for coming-of-age film 'Soulmate'

  • 3

    Park Hyung-sik to play crown prince in tvN series 'Our Blooming Youth'

  • 5

    Discussions on raising age for free subway rides gain momentum

  • 7

    Too many emergency text alerts? Gov't to halt daily COVID-19 notifications

  • 9

    First lady expands presence in domestic politics

  • 11

    'Ant-Man 3' promises bigger, better action with same family dynamic: cast

  • 13

    Seoul to discuss reforming free transportation benefits for seniors

  • 15

    FSC OKs Apple Pay to be available in Korea

  • 17

    Yoon's office to press charges over report on fortune teller

  • 19

    US reaffirms nuclear security assurances to South Korea

  • 2

    Teens feel peer pressure to buy luxury goods endorsed by K-pop stars

  • 4

    Itaewon tragedy's bereaved families harassed by far-right protesters

  • 6

    SM to introduce multi-production system to increase business capabilities

  • 8

    Plan to construct new memorial center for ex-president faces backlash

  • 10

    Ex-justice minister gets 2-year prison term for academic irregularities surrounding family

  • 12

    Families of Itaewon crowd stampede victims clash with police over installation of memorial altar

  • 14

    Apple Pay can be launched in Korea: financial regulator

  • 16

    Naver to roll out conversational AI service

  • 18

    Able C&C sale attracts dozens of potential buyers

  • 20

    Naver 2022 net profit down 96% on one-off factor

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Sun, February 5, 2023 | 15:52
Multicultural Community
Children from multicultural backgrounds losing interest in foreign parents' native languages
Posted : 2022-06-27 16:14
Updated : 2022-06-28 15:38
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
Students from multicultural backgrounds attend a foreign language and culture class at an elementary school in Seoul, in this 2012 file photo. Korea Times file
Students from multicultural backgrounds attend a foreign language and culture class at an elementary school in Seoul, in this 2012 file photo. Korea Times file

By Lee Hyo-jin

Bilingualism is widely considered a strength of children from multicultural backgrounds, but children from these families living in Korea are becoming less enthusiastic about learning their foreign parent's mother tongue, according to government data, Monday.

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family shared the results of a 2021 survey of over 15,000 multicultural households across the country. The triennial survey was conducted through face-to-face interviews with multinational married couples and their children aged between nine and 24 on their economic activities, family life, childcare situation and education.

Only 27.3 percent of the children responded that they are willing to become fluent in the mother language of their non-Korean parent, a sharp decline from 42.4 percent in 2018.

The survey also found that only 19 percent of the children were being encouraged to speak in the language of their immigrant parent at home, down 6.4 percentage points from 2018. Only 15 percent of the children surveyed replied that they are currently learning their foreign parent's language.

The ministry explained that the improved Korean language skills of the children's immigrant parents, which may enable them to communicate with their children in Korean, could be a reason why the children find it less necessary to learn the foreign language.

But Cha Yun-kyung, the board chairman of the Migrant Youth Foundation, viewed that foreign parents might be less willing to pass on their native language that is rarely spoken in Korea.

"Proficiency in Southeast Asian or Central Asian languages is rarely considered an advantage when applying for college or planning a career in Korea. Knowing this, many immigrant parents want their children to spend more time acquiring English skills, rather than their native language," he said. "But the benefits of naturally acquiring a second language in the early stages of childhood should not be overlooked."

Cha also said that the government should increase its efforts to support children from multicultural backgrounds who are frequently deprived of opportunities to access higher education.

The survey showed that only 40.5 percent of students from multicultural families had entered university in 2021 ― much lower than the 71.5 percent of the total student population doing so.

"There may be various reasons why they choose not to enter college, but financial difficulties are a major obstacle," Cha said. "Many parents in multicultural households can't afford to send their children to college due to expensive tuition fees. Also, the worsening unemployment rates among those who graduate from university could be another reason why they don't see attending college as necessary."

Regarding which government policies are needed to encourage children with multicultural backgrounds to go on to higher education, Cha replied, "Realistically speaking, it might be difficult to create admissions quotas for children from multicultural backgrounds because some might make claims of reverse discrimination. Instead, the government could consider offering incentives to universities that accept more students from multicultural, low-income households."

Meanwhile, the ministry said the diversifying needs of multicultural families found through the survey will be reflected in the 2023-2028 Basic Plan for Multicultural Families to be implemented throughout the next five years.

"We will review our policies, which are currently being carried out to foster the bilingual skills of multicultural children and seek other ways to encourage them to obtain their parent's native languages at home naturally," Kim Sook-ja, head of the Youth and Family Policy Bureau, said during a briefing.



Emaillhj@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
Top 10 Stories
1Teens feel peer pressure to buy luxury goods endorsed by K-pop stars Teens feel peer pressure to buy luxury goods endorsed by K-pop stars
2Itaewon tragedy's bereaved families harassed by far-right protesters Itaewon tragedy's bereaved families harassed by far-right protesters
3Discussions on raising age for free subway rides gain momentum Discussions on raising age for free subway rides gain momentum
4Too many emergency text alerts? Gov't to halt daily COVID-19 notifications Too many emergency text alerts? Gov't to halt daily COVID-19 notifications
5Plan to construct new memorial center for ex-president faces backlash Plan to construct new memorial center for ex-president faces backlash
6First lady expands presence in domestic politicsFirst lady expands presence in domestic politics
7FSC OKs Apple Pay to be available in Korea FSC OKs Apple Pay to be available in Korea
8Naver to roll out conversational AI service Naver to roll out conversational AI service
9Able C&C sale attracts dozens of potential buyersAble C&C sale attracts dozens of potential buyers
10US reaffirms nuclear security assurances to South Korea US reaffirms nuclear security assurances to South Korea
Top 5 Entertainment News
1Kim Da-mi, Jeon So-nee team up for coming-of-age film 'Soulmate'Kim Da-mi, Jeon So-nee team up for coming-of-age film 'Soulmate'
2Park Hyung-sik to play crown prince in tvN series 'Our Blooming Youth'Park Hyung-sik to play crown prince in tvN series 'Our Blooming Youth'
3'Ant-Man 3' promises bigger, better action with same family dynamic: cast 'Ant-Man 3' promises bigger, better action with same family dynamic: cast
4[INTERVIEW] Disney+ 'Big Bet' director on portraying greed and desireINTERVIEWDisney+ 'Big Bet' director on portraying greed and desire
5TXT, Le Sserafim top Oricon album and singles chart TXT, Le Sserafim top Oricon album and singles chart
DARKROOM
  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

  • World Cup 2022 France vs Morocco

    World Cup 2022 France vs Morocco

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group