As of 2021, the number of 'multicultural household members' (households with naturalized citizens or marriage immigrants) residing in Gyeonggi-do was 330,934, accounting for 29.6% of the nationwide multicultural household members (1,119,267).
On the 30th, the province announced that it had compiled statistics on multicultural families in the Gyeonggi area in 2021 by analyzing the '2021 Local Government Foreign Resident Status (Ministry of the Interior and Safety)' and the '2021 Multicultural Population Dynamics Statistics (Statistics Korea)'.
By gender, there were 174,149 females (52.6%) and 156,785 males (47.4%). The composition includes native-born Koreans 57.2%, naturalized Koreans 21.3%, foreign marriage immigrants 16.4%, and other foreigners 5.1%. Among the 125,235 marriage immigrants and naturalized citizens, the nationality distribution was as follows: Chinese (ethnic Koreans) 41.1%, Chinese 20.9%, Vietnamese 15.5%, Filipino 4.0%, Japanese 3.2%, and American 2.3%.
By region, Ansan has the largest population with 30,908 residents, followed by Bucheon with 27,271 and Suwon with 26,474.
The proportion of multicultural household members relative to the total household members is highest in Ansan at 4.3%, followed by Siheung at 4.2%, and Gapyeong at 4.1%. The year-on-year growth rates of multicultural household members were highest in Gwacheon at 18.2% (96 people), Hanam at 10.6% (455 people), and Pyeongtaek at 10% (1,724 people).
The multicultural marriage rate in the Gyeonggi area was 7.8% (4,341 cases), a decrease of 430 cases (9%) from 4,771 cases in 2020. Since the statistics began in 2008 with a rate of 10.4%, it hit a low of 7.6% in 2015, rose to 10.8% in 2019, but has since declined again. The province attributed the decline to the spread of COVID-19 and related entry restrictions after 2019.
Additionally, the number of multicultural divorces was 2,431, a 0.3% decrease from 2,438 cases in 2020. The proportion of multicultural family divorces among all divorces in Gyeonggi-do in 2021 was 8.8%, a 0.2% increase from 8.6% in 2020, but it has been gradually decreasing from 12.6% in 2011.
The number of multicultural births in Gyeonggi-do in 2021 was 4,246, a 9.4% decrease from 4,685 in 2020. Compared to the peak of 5,540 multicultural births in 2012, this represents a decrease of over 1,000 births.
Ahn Seung-man, head of the Family Multicultural Division of the province, stated, "Gyeonggi-do is promoting various projects to help multicultural household members settle stably in Korea," adding, "We will solidly implement projects such as supporting the operation of multicultural family support centers and base institutions, Korean language education for marriage immigrants, and psychological and career counseling services for youth with migration backgrounds."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
