KJCKorea
Journal Central

This study aimed to analyze the current status of multicultural understanding education within the military in response to the increasing number of multicultural soldiers and to suggest effective improvement measures. A Focus Group Interview (FGI) was conducted with five retired non-commissioned officers who had experience managing multicultural soldiers and three multicultural society experts. The findings revealed that although institutional foundations for multicultural education exist, the lack of clearly defined target groups, limited awareness among commanders and officers, and content misaligned with the realities of military life highlight critical limitations in the current system and its implementation. Based on these findings, this study proposes expanding the target of multicultural education, developing position-specific curricula, producing training materials grounded in actual military cases, establishing a preemptive training system centered on commanders, and increasing the frequency of educational sessions.

This study analyzed the deep-seated perception structure of Korean society regarding immigrant social integration, utilizing extensive discourse data on foreigner policies from 2018 to 2024, as presented in Kwon Young-eun’s (2024) research. Two theoretical approaches were employed in the analysis. Firstly, framing theory served as a powerful framework for explaining the direction and emotional responses of public perception. Secondly, intergroup contact theory provided psychosocial criteria for evaluating the practical feasibility of policies. Accordingly, this study emphasizes the redesign of policy communication and the planning of institutional contact, proposing an integrated analytical model: the framed contact effect. This model demonstrates that perceptions of immigrants are complexly formed through the interaction of contact methods, frame types, and regional conditions. In conclusion, for Korea to truly advance towards a global multicultural society, a transformative perspective is needed, one that accepts immigrants as both subjects of national development and equal members of the social community. This necessitates not only legal frameworks and budgets but also effective policy measures to re-establish the perceptions of both the state and its citizens.

This study explores systematic approaches for introducing foreign care workers to address South Korea's rapidly aging society, increasing care demand, and critical labor shortages. Focusing on countries with established labor export infrastructures like the Philippines, the research employed 13 in-depth Focus Group Interviews (FGI) with domestic and international experts. This identified key conditions, procedures, models, and institutional reforms necessary for effective foreign care worker recruitment and management. Findings suggest crucial conditions include specific qualifications (e.g., NC Ⅱ completion, training hours), valuation of prior experience, appropriate education levels (based on KQF), age ranges, and Korean language proficiency (e.g., TOPIK Level 2 / EPS-TOPIK 120+). A phased introduction (pilot projects, evaluation, gradual expansion) is proposed for policy stability. Diverse recruitment models, such as Government-to-Government (G2G), Business to-Government (B2G), Business-to-Business (B2B) schemes, and strategies for converting existing foreign residents in Korea (e.g., students), are also examined. Furthermore, essential legal reforms (e.g., immigration, labor, and caregiver-related laws) and sustainable financial support (linking welfare budgets with ODA) are outlined. This research offers practical implications for policymakers, serving as a foundational reference for developing sustainable, tailored “K-Immigration Policies” to navigate South Korea's demographic challenges and the global competition for talent.