Gov't examines multicultural family support programs amid debate over fairness

SEOUL, Nov. 2 (Yonhap) -- The government has begun examining support programs fo...

Yonhap NewsChae Yun-hwan2026-11-02 12:04查看原文 ↗

This file image, provided by Yonhap News TV, shows a class for families of multicultural backgrounds. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

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SEOUL, Nov. 2 (Yonhap) -- The government has begun examining support programs for families of multicultural backgrounds, legal sources said Friday, after President Lee Jae Myung raised questions over such programs potentially leaving others at a relative disadvantage.

The justice ministry asked local municipalities late last month to look into the status of their programs amid fresh debate over whether they offer preferential treatment to multicultural families and discriminate against Korean families.

Based on the findings, the ministry is expected to check for possible discrimination, according to the sources.

Lee said in a social media post last week that he would review whether preferential support programs for multicultural families were necessary, drawing backlash from critics who viewed the remarks as inciting division.

Still, Lee has doubled down on his call, saying any preferential policy that leads to reverse discrimination cannot be justified.

This file image, provided by Yonhap News TV, shows a class for families of multicultural backgrounds. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

The Seoul city government has started inspecting the capital's 26 support programs for multicultural families, which include offering children of such families priority slots for daycare centers regardless of their family's income level.

The city also operates postpartum care centers that give priority access for mothers from multicultural families and persons of national merit.

Prior to the president's comments, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon reportedly instructed city officials to find ways to improve such programs.

In a press conference held Thursday, Oh acknowledged the need for policy support and consideration for multicultural families but noted programs that are demanded by many should be more carefully designed.

Multicultural families account for a minority of South Korea's population of around 51 million people.

As of last year, there were some 1.25 million people making up 451,492 multicultural households, according to the data ministry.

yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr (END)

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Gov't examines multicultural family support programs amid debate over fairness

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首尔，11月2日（韩联社）——法律界人士周五表示，在李在明总统对一些旨在帮助多元文化背景家庭的扶持项目可能使部分群体处于相对劣势提出质疑后，政府已开始审查此类扶持项目。

上个月底，司法部要求地方政府调查其各项计划的现状，此前，有关这些计划是否给予多元文化家庭优惠待遇并歧视韩国家庭的争论再次升温。

消息人士称，根据调查结果，该部预计将调查是否存在歧视行为。

李显龙上周在社交媒体上发帖称，他将重新审视是否有必要为多元文化家庭提供优惠扶持计划，此举引发批评人士的强烈反对，他们认为李显龙的言论是在煽动分裂。