logo
Justice Ministry vows social integration on 18th 'Together Day'

Justice Ministry vows social integration on 18th 'Together Day'

Korea Herald23-05-2025

GWACHEON, Gyeonggi Province — The Justice Ministry reaffirmed social integration and multicultural harmony, marking the 18th Together Day on Tuesday.
Together Day, which falls on May 20, celebrates efforts to build a society where Koreans and foreign nationals respect each other's cultures and traditions. It was officially designated in 2008 under Article 19 of the Framework Act on Treatment of Foreigners Residing in the Republic of Korea.
'Korea is now, in every sense, a multicultural society. Fostering integration has never been more important in creating a society where people of diverse backgrounds live in harmony,' said Justice Minister Park Sung-jae during his speech at an event commemorating the day.
'To this end, the Ministry of Justice will carry out various policies for the integration of immigrants,' he pledged.
He mentioned Justice Ministry initiatives to unify current dual visa statuses for overseas Koreans, 'Work and Visit' and 'Overseas Korean,' to ensure fairness.
The ministry will also legislate dedicated support centers for overseas Koreans to ease their stay in the country, according to Park.
Under the event's theme, 'Dream Together, Korea Soars Higher,' Park also announced plans to expand Korean language and culture education to be available to immigrants before they arrive in Korea, underlining the ministry's dedication to upholding the rights and dignity of immigrants and policies for inclusive growth.
'Through these efforts, we will lay a firm foundation for immigration governance that fosters inclusion and cooperation, and advances Korea as a global leader,' he added.
As part of the celebration, 17 individuals and organizations received presidential and prime ministerial citations in recognition of their long-term support for expatriate settlement and social integration. The ministry also showcased videos on integration by foreign national residents, guidelines for travellers and usage of the mobile residence card.
Recipients of the presidential honors included Sister Marianna Swierzewska, a Polish nun who has devoted herself to helping migrants settle and adjust to life in Korea, and Dr. Byeon Yeong-nam, a dentist known for offering free medical treatment to foreign workers and the poor. The Gumi Catholic Workers' Culture Center also received a presidential citation for its more than 50 years of service aiding expatriates in Gumi and North Gyeongsang Province.
'There is always a personal story behind those in need. And no system is perfect enough to address all, sometimes unique, needs of those vulnerable and underprivileged,' said Polish Charge d'Affaires Artur Gradzluk, praising Sister Marianna's efforts.
'That's why the work of the centers and individuals willing to fill the support gap is so valuable and irreplaceable,' he added.
Delivering his remarks, Australian Ambassador to South Korea Jeffrey Robinson touted a sustained commitment to multiculturalism.
'Our success as a modern multicultural nation is underwritten by our respectful individual freedoms and equality of opportunity for all Australians, no matter where they come from," he said.
Robinson notes that a successful multicultural society doesn't happen by chance, but requires continuous effort, shared commitment, and support from the government, organizations and citizens.
'That is why the Australian Government commends the effort made by the Ministry of Justice and the Korean Immigration Service to promote multiculturalism and encourage social cohesion in Korea,' he said, praising the Australian community in Korea for contributing to the local community.
The event was attended by justice ministry officials, members of the diplomatic corps, foreign residents and Korean nationals of foreign origin, the Korean representative to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and the head of the Philippine Immigration Bureau.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

[Wang Son-taek] Keys to success for the Lee administration
[Wang Son-taek] Keys to success for the Lee administration

Korea Herald

time4 hours ago

  • Korea Herald

[Wang Son-taek] Keys to success for the Lee administration

President Lee Jae-myung, who took office on June 4, has been busy. He is working to resolve the six-month national crisis that left the country without a president because of the martial law declaration by former President Yoon Suk Yeol. It is also urgent for Lee to appoint high-ranking officials to help him run the government over the next five years. Though he is very busy right now, he might hope to see his administration succeed -- in other words, to reestablish governance. Since the democratization of the Republic of Korea in 1987, there have only been two successful cases where the government has been wholly rebuilt -- specifically, the elections in 1992 and 2002. However, it is necessary to put aside the 1992 election of President Kim Young-sam, given that it resulted from a political trick -- the merger of three major parties. On the other hand, the election of President Roh Moo-hyun in 2002 can be evaluated entirely as the result of public judgment. His election as president was mainly due to the public's relatively positive evaluation of his predecessor, President Kim Dae Jung. The other presidents were all subject to public criticism but failed to lay the groundwork for a successful transfer of power to the opposition. The newly launched Lee Jae-myung administration should closely examine the background of the Kim Dae-jung administration's success and the causes of other governments' failures. Three variables might be derived by analyzing the successes and failures. The first is the zeitgeist, or the spirit of the times; the second is communication and the third is unity. President Kim Dae-jung always tried to grasp the zeitgeist, and once it had been understood, he demonstrated his utmost efforts to bring it to fruition. Until the 1990s, he focused on the struggle for democratization and political development. In the 2000s, he raised national topics such as national unity, informatization and technology, inter-Korean reconciliation and cooperation. What might be the zeitgeist President Lee is facing? The first priority is overcoming insurrection. Efforts should be made to heal the psychological wounds of the people, shocked by the insurrection, by establishing institutional arrangements to prevent it from occurring again. The second most important task is to proceed with national reconstruction, which Korea must elevate to the next level by reforming and improving policies the state completely reversed during the three years of the Yoon Suk Yeol government. To this end, we propose a new Korean-style national development model and a national reconstruction campaign. To upgrade our democracy, it is necessary to introduce additional systems that guarantee popular sovereignty and to march with the people toward a future in which national integration can take place naturally. In terms of the economy, we need a national campaign to become a creativity-oriented society in which diversity, inclusiveness and tolerance are respected and where people can try again after failure. It is true that governments other than the Kim Dae-jung administration acknowledged the spirit of the times. The problem is that their actions went in different or opposite directions. The second task in succeeding as a government is effective communication. President Kim Dae-jung's communication method was surprisingly simple. First, to understand what policies the people wanted, he referred to opinions expressed in newspapers and broadcasts as much as possible. The next step was to candidly explain to the public the background of his policies and seek support. Even if a policy did not get 100 percent support, a candid explanation helped lessen the degree of rejection by the people. While pursuing his policies as the next step, Kim admitted to errors when things went wrong and sought understanding by explaining what happened. Listening to public opinion, explaining policies in advance and elucidating policy failures were key elements of Kim Dae-jung's successful communication. Although these elements seem simple, they are not easy to implement. If officials in charge of state affairs neglect the people and focus only on the struggle for power, they will not achieve public acceptance because frank communication would mean political defeat. Ironically, this is a key factor that led to the success of the Kim Dae-jung administration and the failure of other governments. The last of the three successful elements of the Kim Dae-jung government is that it made every effort to unify the people. National unity is also easy to talk about but challenging to achieve. This is because "the people" are ultimately the voters who support a leader in today's situation of severe political polarization. In a sense, voters who do not support the winner of an election might not count as citizens. Kim never discriminated against the people who did not support him, which was one of the great secrets to his success. For President Lee Jae-myung, achieving national unity will be more difficult than it was for President Kim because political polarization has become so extreme. Nevertheless, if President Lee repeatedly reaches out to and embraces the conservatives who oppose, fear and despise him, antipathy toward him will undoubtedly lessen. Then, the energy he would have spent attacking the opposition can be put into developing the policies that the majority of people want. In that scenario, there would be no reason for him not to succeed. The Lee Jae-myung administration has a much greater chance of success than its predecessors. This is because most of the negative images of President Lee are simply illusions. Within the next three months or so, it is certain that the baseless slanders against him will disappear. However, improving Lee Jae-myung's image does not guarantee success. The administration must work hard to grasp the zeitgeist, communicate strategically and achieve national unity as the great Kim Dae-jung did. These may well be sufficient conditions for success.

Lee silences border loudspeakers
Lee silences border loudspeakers

Korea Herald

time13 hours ago

  • Korea Herald

Lee silences border loudspeakers

Decision aimed at easing tension with Pyongyang: presidential office South Korea on Wednesday suspended its loudspeaker broadcasts aimed at North Korea, as part of the liberal Lee Jae-myung administration's efforts to ease tension with Pyongyang. According to the presidential office, President Lee ordered the broadcasts, via loudspeakers installed in border area, to be halted starting 2 p.m. Wednesday. 'This decision reflects President Lee's commitment to restoring trust with North Korea and advancing his peace policy for the Korean Peninsula,' Lee's spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said during a press briefing held Wednesday afternoon in Yongsan, Seoul. Kang further described the suspension as a 'step to ease the burden on residents in border areas who have long suffered from noise broadcasts targeting the North.' She added that the decision was made as a gesture of goodwill, particularly in light of the absence of any major provocations from North Korea in recent weeks. President Lee had pledged during his campaign ahead of the June 3 presidential election to halt the operation as part of broader efforts to ease inter-Korean tensions and rebuild trust. According to an official from the presidential office, the decision was made during a Cabinet meeting held the previous day. It came exactly a week after the Lee administration took office on June 4. The broadcasts had been resumed by the conservative Yoon Suk Yeol administration in June 2024 after a six-year hiatus. The decision came as North Korea continued sending waste-filled balloons across the border, prompting Seoul to suspend the 2018 inter-Korean military agreement.

Seoul halts loudspeaker broadcasts to North Korea
Seoul halts loudspeaker broadcasts to North Korea

Korea Herald

time16 hours ago

  • Korea Herald

Seoul halts loudspeaker broadcasts to North Korea

South Korea on Wednesday suspended its loudspeaker broadcasts aimed at North Korea, in a move that comes just a week after the liberal Lee Jae-myung administration took office. According to government and military officials, the decision was made by the presidential office. President Lee had pledged during his campaign ahead of the June 3 presidential election to halt the operation, as part of broader efforts to ease tensions and improve inter-Korean relations. The broadcasts had been resumed by the conservative Yoon Suk Yeol administration in June 2024 after a six-year hiatus. The decision came as North Korea continued sending waste-filled balloons across the border, prompting Seoul to suspend the 2018 inter-Korean military agreement.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store