Welfare policies and budget allocation for migrants in South Korea

Abstract

This paper examines welfare policies and budget allocation of programs for different migrant groups in South Korea. The results of a budget allocation analysis show that social welfare policies for migrants predominantly focus on the group of marriage migrant women, whereas foreign workers are excluded from many welfare policies, although they comprise the majority of migrants in Korea. The concentration of welfare policies on marriage migrant women may result in program duplication and hinder the balanced treatment of migrants in Korea. A restructured allocation of the budget would contribute not only to promoting the successful integration of migrants but also to enhancing the efficiency of public expenditure.