Cultural Diversity and Cultural Co-existence between Asian Immigrants and the Natives in Korea

Abstract

Through in-depth interviews with 22 marriage migrant women from China, Philippines, Vietnam, and Cambodia and 11 interviews with multicultural experts, the study examines how the participants view cultural differences, similarities, issues for potential conflicts, and ways for cultural co-existence. Moreover, the study examined grounds for social distance from the multicultural experts to understand social distance native Koreans feel toward marriage migrant women. The study found that both marriage migrant women and multicultural experts have similar perceptions on cultural differences, similarities, potential for conflicts, and solutions for cultural co-existence. As for grounds for social distance, the findings indicate that multicultural experts have close social distance when it comes to marriage migrant women becoming citizens, neighbors and friends, however, far social distance when they become colleagues. Implications of the findings as well as suggestions for cultural co-existences are discussed.