Hostile or Favourable? Public Attitudes Towards Migrants’ Social Policy in South Korea

Interest in social policies for migrants in South Korea (hereafter Korea) has gained prominence in both academic debates and policy agendas. In response to an aging population and low birth rate, the government has implemented various policies to address labor shortages and expand the working population, including social policies. These include broader coverage, increased benefits, and more accessible social services for migrants. However, shifting public attitudes may significantly affect policy decisions and their implementation. Despite this, little research has been conducted on public attitudes towards these social policies for migrants.

To address this gap, this study aims to identify public attitudes towards major social policies and to explore the various factors influencing these attitudes. An analysis of original data generated from a 2024 questionnaire surveys of 3,011 respondents across the nation reveals a nuanced and complex picture of public opinion in Korea. Specifically, while there is general agreement on the importance of social rights, attitudes towards migrants are not uniformly positive. For example, Koreans tend to have a more lenient attitude towards certain groups of migrants, such as marriage migrants, who are presumed to bear Korean children and to be long-term residents. Additionally, the factors influencing attitudes towards migrants’ social policy vary depending on the type of migrant group considered.

This study contributes to the limited existing literature on migration and social policy in the context of Korea and provides an important Asian perspective. The findings have significant implications for understanding the role of public attitudes in shaping policy changes, suggesting that such attitudes are influential in setting policy agendas, limiting policy choices and legitimizing policy decisions.