Kim Kyung-sun, Vice Minister of Gender Equality and Family, "Eliminating Blind Spots in Education and Support for Migrant Background Youth"

Visit to Onnuri Multicultural Lifelong Education Center and Hwaseong Foreigners Welfare Center in Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi-do

[Asia Economy Reporter Jinju Han] On the 27th, Kim Kyung-sun, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, visits a support institution for youth with migrant backgrounds in Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi-do to inspect the site and listen to the opinions of the workers.

On the same day, Vice Minister Kim visits Onnuri Multicultural Lifelong Education Center, the operating institution of Rainbow School, which provides Korean language education to youth with migrant backgrounds. Onnuri Multicultural Lifelong Education Center is entrusted with operating the initial education program Rainbow School, which supports the improvement of Korean language skills and emotional stability of youth with migrant backgrounds. Twenty-two youths who were born and migrated from countries such as Russia and Uzbekistan participate. The education center provides Korean language education for one year and socio-cultural experiential activities necessary for life in Korea.

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family provides integrated services such as Korean language education, career and vocational training, and counseling to youth aged 9 to 24 with migrant backgrounds who have difficulties adapting to society and performing academically after migrating to Korea. Last year, it supported 804 people with Korean language education, 1,897 people with awareness improvement, 4,422 cases of counseling and case management, and 178 North Korean defector youths.

Vice Minister Kim visits Hwaseong-si Foreigners Welfare Center to check the status of the pilot project linking regional institutions supporting youth with migrant backgrounds and to listen to on-site difficulties. This project established an integrated service system by linking human and material resources of support institutions to eliminate blind spots caused by fragmented operation of support projects for youth with migrant backgrounds.

Since last year, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family has formed a private-public-academic working council with youth-related institutions in Ansan and Hwaseong, areas densely populated by migrants, to provide customized services. In the case of Hwaseong-si, the area is divided into five zones to operate Korean language education, career experience, psychological and emotional support, etc. Last year, 446 youth with migrant backgrounds used services in six projects.

Kim Kyung-sun, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, said, "Although everyone is struggling due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, youth with migrant backgrounds are expected to face even greater difficulties. We will expand Korean language education, career and self-reliance support, and psychological and emotional support for youth with migrant backgrounds to provide equal growth opportunities, and expand regional institution linkage projects centered on local governments to eliminate blind spots in policy support."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.