Foreign spouses living in Korea are bound to get homesick at some point… but many are unable to visit their homes overseas due to the high cost of doing so. Those that recently took part in a KCTV project and revisited their hometowns say the trip has added vitality to their lives. Lee Hee-jung reports


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Vietnamese wives visit home with KCTV

As part of KCTV’s project to help foreign spouses in Jeju revisit to their hometowns, Kim Ji-young was able to return to the Vietnamese village she grew up in for the first time in four years.

Her face immediately lit up just from seeing her mother who she hadn’t seen in the past few years due to her mother’s poor health.

But Kim also feels bad that her Korean family back in Jeju were not able to accompany her on this trip.

INTERVIEW
Kim Ji-young / Jeju resident from Vietnam
I’m glad my family back home is well. I know many people would love to return to their hometowns. I hope they can all take part in the project.
<인터뷰:김지영 (결혼이주여성(베트남))>
"가족들이 행복하게 살고 있으니까 좋아요. 고향을 가고 싶은 친구들도 많이 있잖아요. 그런 친구들도 보내주면 좋겠네요."

Getting adjusted to life in a foreign country is tough for marriage migrants. Nostalgia adds to the difficulties they face in getting used to life in Jeju...

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KCTV program ‘helps migrants adapt to life in Korea’

… which is why giving them a chance to revisit their hometowns is proving to be of help in settling down in Korea.

INTERVIEW
Ahn Soon-hong / Jeju Multicultural Family Support Center
For some, the wait has been longer than others, but after visiting their hometowns, I have seen many migrants adjust to life in Korea better than before.
<인터뷰: 안순홍 제주시다문화가족지원센터>
"9년만에 오시는 분도 있지만 이런 기회가 돼서 오실수 있는거잖아요. 가정에 돌아가면 더 안정적인 가정 행복하게 사는 분들도 많이 봤습니다."

Currently, some 2,900 marriage migrants live in Jeju. Multicultural families have become a core part of today’s Jeju society.

And nationalities-of-origin have become more diverse over the years, with immigrants coming to Korea from Vietnam, China, the Philippines and Cambodia.

INTERVIEW
Kim Seok-beom / Bureau chief, KCTV News
Multicultural families are our families. Jeju citizens should stop thinking that we need to help them out, but instead treat them the same as everyone else.
<인터뷰:김석범 KCTV제주방송 보도국장>
"다문화가족은 우리의 식구입니다 식구. 도민들이 이들을 도와준다고 생각을 하지 말고 도와준다기 보다 우리 가족과 같이 간다는 생각을 갖고 다문화가족을 바라보는 것이 중요하다고 생각이 듭니다."

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Kim Yong-min

KCTV has been organizing home visits for multicultural families since 2011.

[REPORTER]
Lee Hee-jung

While residential mobility diversifies our community it calls for continued provincial support to ease financial risks it can pose on migrating families.

Lee Hee-jung KCTV