GUIDE BLOG FOR FOREIGNER, LIVING IN KOREA , PART # 02

GUIDE BLOG FOR FOREIGNER, LIVING IN KOREA 

PART # 02
Foreign Resident Support
Services

*Foreigner Support Services
*Korean Language Education
*Education on Korean Culture and Life in Korea
*ICT Education
*Counseling
*How to Use Foreigner Support Services
*Foreign Resident Support Organizations
*Multicultural Family Support Centers(☎1577-5432)
*Korea Migrants’ Center
*Emergency Support Center for
*Migrant Women (☎1577-1366)
*Korea Immigration Service (☎1345)

*Websites with Support for Multiple Languages

Foreigner Support Services
The number of foreign residents in Korea, including immigrant workers and marriage

immigrants, is growing, and services to support foreign residents in their adaptation
to life in Korea are being provided at the public and the private levels, including Korean
language and culture education, as well as counseling services. In particular, the diverse
services offered by foreign resident support organizations are extremely useful when
foreign residents have difficulties in communication, are unfamiliar with Korean culture,
and need to build a network with native Koreans during their early stage of immigration.

Korean Language Education
For foreign residents, learning Korean is essential to successfully settling in Korea

and gaining a better understanding of Korean culture. Fortunately, there are many
organizations in Korea that provide opportunities for foreign residents to learn Korean
free of charge. Multicultural Family Support Centers, Korea migrants’ Center and Korean
Language School are a few of the leading organizations that provide Korean language
education for foreign residents.
The Multicultural Family Support Centers also operate a Visiting Education Program,
through which Korean language instructors are dispatched to the homes of marriage
immigrants.
With an increasing number of online Korean language education programs being
provided, foreign residents can now easily learn Korean at home.

Education on Korean Culture and Life in Korea
Programs for education on Korean culture and life in Korea are being provided in order
to help foreign residents overcome difficulties in Korean life caused by gaps in cultures
and lifestyle.

There are lectures and experience programs dedicated to education on
multicultural understanding, law, human rights, marriage, family and adaptation to

Korean society.


ICT Education
Most Korean households use PCs, and Korea has a highly advanced Internet network.

Users can obtain rich information using the Internet, and enjoy the convenience of various
online services, such as Internet banking and administrative services. Accordingly, many
organizations, including the Multicultural Family Support Centers and the Korea Migrants’
Center, operate ICT education programs to enable foreign residents to learn how to
search for information through the Internet, and how to use diverse applications.

Counseling
Counseling services aim to help foreign residents that
are experiencing difficulties in Korea, by providing

them with the advice that they need to solve their
problems. (Family affairs, labor, residence and law)




How to Use Foreigner Support Services
Additional services for foreign residents include employment and business start-up
assistance, and translation and interpretation services. For information on these services,
check the programs of the following foreign resident support organizations, and contact
each organization for more details.

Useful Information
Translation and Interpretation Service for Marriage Immigrants

* Marriage immigrants who are fluent in Korean and their mother languages provide interpretation and
translation services for new marriage immigrants at Multicultural Family Support Centers.

* This service is offered in 12 languages, including Chinese, Vietnamese, English, Tagalog, Mongolian,
Russian, Japanese, Cambodian, Indonesian, Nepali, Thai and Uzbek. Marriage immigrants can freely
use this service when they require counseling, or when accessing government services at the early stage
of immigration.


* Call ☎1577-5432, and you will be connected to the nearest Multicultural Family Support Center.

Foreign Resident Support Organizations

Foreign resident support organizations are organizations established for the purpose of
providing foreign residents and their families with support during their life in Korea. These
organizations include the Multicultural Family Support Centers, the Korea Migrants’ Center
and the Emergency Support Center for Migrant Women, and are operated through the
support of the government. There are also local or private foreign resident support centers,
such as Global Center. Ansan City, which has a dense population of foreign residents, has
established Ansan Migrant Community Service Center to provide diverse administrative
services for foreign residents. In addition, various organizations providing services for
Korean citizens, such as community centers and local cultural centers, also operate services
dedicated to supporting foreign residents.


Multicultural Family Support Centers (☎1577-5432)

The Multicultural Family Support Centers were established to help marriage immigrants and
their families to successfully settle in Korea, and there are a total of 100 Multicultural Family

Support Centers being operated in Korea. The Centers provide Korean language education
for marriage immigrants, education on multicultural understanding, education for families,
counseling for individuals and families, employment and business start-up support services,
and translation and interpretation services. The Centers also operate bilingual classes and
services for language development support (support for Korean language education) for the

children of marriage immigrants.

Korea Migrants’ Center

* Counseling @ 
• Delays in salary payment
• Change (transfer) of employer
• Immigration and residence
• Industrial accidents
• Healthcare and welfare
• Domestic affairs and international marriage
• Fraud and violence

* Education @
• Korean language education
• ICT education
• Taekwondo lessons
• Special education: law, safety and adaptation to Korean      
  society

* Events @
• Community events
• Educational events

• Cultural events

* Healthcare @
• Basic healthcare services for migrant workers who have difficulties visiting

small clinics due to language problems.

* Media @
• MNTV.NET: Internet broadcasting station for immigrants
• Migrant.kr: Network of officials in charge

• MigrantOK: Monthly newsletter published in multiple 
  languages

How to Use the Programs
• The Center is open from 09:00 to 18:00 during weekdays, and some educational
programs are operated on Sundays.

• For information and counseling in multiple languages, call the Migrants’ Help-line
(1644-0644).

• For help, call 1644-0644 on Sundays (13:00 ~ 19:00) and weekdays, and 02-6900-8000 on

Saturdays.

Emergency Support Center for Migrant Women (☎1577-1366)

The Emergency Support Center for Migrant Women provides emergency services for
migrant women 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Migrant women may use the Center if
they have become victims of domestic violence, sexual violence and sexual abuse, or if they
need emergency shelter. They can also access the services of the Center if they are having
difficulties or need information, and access the legal counseling services regarding issues
related to immigration and nationality.
Migrant women who can speak Korean, English, Vietnamese, Russian, Thai, Mongolian
and Tagalog serve as counselors. After providing counseling services, the Center connects
women in crisis to related organizations (domestic violence counseling centers, sexual
violence counseling centers, shelters for victims of domestic violence, police stations, law
firms, hospitals, women’s organizations, welfare organizations and one-stop service centers

of hospitals) so that migrant women can solve their problems.

Counseling @
• Primary counseling services for migrant victims of violence, 
  provided in their mother languages

• Phone counseling service available for 365 days (1577-1366)


• Counseling services provided in eight languages

Collaborative Emergency Support Services @
• Emergency shelter services

• Collaboration with shelters for victims of domestic violence, 
  sexual violence and human
  trafficking


• Collaboration with healthcare, legal, prosecution and police 
   services

Others @ 
• Living and legal information for successful settlement in the 
  Korean society


• Visiting counseling services provided by local centers

How to Use the Programs

• For counseling services, call ☎1577-1366.
• If necessary, counseling services can be provided through interviews, the website or
e-mail. All information related to the counseling services are not disclosed for protection
of personal information.
• Online counseling services are available in Korean and eight foreign languages
(Vietnamese, Chinese, English, Tagalog, Russian, Mongolian, Thai and Cambodian)
• Local centers in Suwon, Daejeon, Gwangju and Busan offer counseling services through

interviews and visiting counseling services.


Korea Immigration Service (☎1345)
The Korea Immigration Service manages affairs
related to foreign resident registration and residence
permits, and operates additional programs for
education and information services for immigrants.

The Service operates the “Happy Dream Happy Start
Program” at 14 offices from 14:00 to 16:00 on the
second and fourth Thursdays of every month (Day of
Support for Marriage Immigrants), in order to provide newly married immigrants with the

information they need for a successful life in Korea.


Useful Information
Comprehensive Foreign Resident Support Services (Hi Korea)
Through Hi Korea, applicants can submit online applications for services provided by the Ministry of
Justice, including reservations, reentry permit and visa extensions, in four languages, including Korean,
English, Japanese and Chinese.
• How To Use
- Visit the website (www.hikorea.go.kr)

- Sign up for membership

- Use the services, including e-service, reservations and My 
  Page

Websites with Support for Multiple Languages

As Korea has an advanced ICT network, foreign immigrants are able to obtain information
on life in Korea through websites, and can use cyber educational programs such as
Korean language programs and Korean culture education. In particular, the websites
operated by organizations supporting foreign residents are very useful, as they support

multiple languages.

Websites with Support for Multiple Languages

WEB SITE: www.liveinkorea.go.kr @ The Central Office for Multicultural Family Support Centers
Korean language education and guide
to life in Korea, integrated multicultural
family support service including

multilingual news

WEB SITE: www.korea.net @ Korean culture and Information Service

WEB SITE: world.kbs.co.kr @ Multicultural news, cultural programs and entertainment programs

WEB SITE: www.mntv.net @  Korea Migrants’ Center News in multiple languages and Korean, in everyday life

WEB SITE: www.ecamp.kdu.edu @ Korea Digital
University Korean language education

WEB SITE: www.migrantok.org @ Korea Migrants’ Center Counseling and education information

WEB SITE: www.hikorea.go.kr @ Ministry of Justice Online applications for services of
the Ministry of Justice, including
reservations, reentry permit, and visa
extension

WEB SITE: www.saladtv.kr @ Salad TV Multicultural
Broadcasting Station Internet broadcasting station for
foreign residents, multicultural families and overseas Koreans

WEB SITE: www.visitkorea.or.kr @ Korea Tourism
Organization Information on tourist destinations and
festivals of Korea

TO BE CONTINUED..............................

PART # 03 COMING SOON.......