Multiculturalism and the politics of belonging: the puzzle of multiculturalism in South Korea

Abstract

South Korea has experienced transformations in both discourse and policy regarding multiculturalism in recent years. The new discourse on multiculturalism implies that Korea is becoming, or should become, a multicultural society. This development can be viewed as an opportunity for migrants to take advantage of the dialogue about multiculturalism. However, migrants in Korea are indifferent to, and even critical of, the new discourse. The goal of this article is to explain this apparent paradox by examining the implications of Korean multiculturalism on multiple aspects of citizenship. Migrants in Korea are critical of multiculturalism because the characteristics of their group identities as defined in multiculturalism are less than desirable. To a certain extent, this unfair representation discourages migrants in Korea not only from welcoming multiculturalism but also from seeking formal membership. In this sense, the Korean case suggests the relationship between the status and identity aspects of citizenship is predominantly concurrent rather than sequential and the offer of fair representation must be addressed in conjunction with, not after, the issue of formal membership.