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Stigma surrounding marriage migrants persists as 1 in 3 reports discrimination in Korea

Published: 29 Jan. 2026, 05:00

Lee Gyeong-suk speaks during an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo at her residence in Gimpo, Gyeonggi, on Sept. 28, 2025. [JUN YUL]

Marriage migrants in Korea continue to face deep-rooted prejudice, with survey data showing that more than one-third report discrimination in their daily lives. For many, the stigma persists even decades after naturalization.

“I heard people whispering that I was delaying having a child so I could take my in-laws’ money and run,” said Lee Gyeong-suk, who moved from China to Korea after meeting her husband through her brother in 2002.

Lee said the hardest part of adjusting to life in Korea wasn’t unfamiliar food or customs, but the persistent bias she faced as a marriage migrant. It took her only six months to adapt to Korean culture, but the way Korean society viewed marriage migrants remained harsh even two decades after she became a Korean citizen.

She recalled feeling devastated when her daughter came home from school in tears, saying she was "afraid classmates would find out her mother was a foreigner."

Lee said discrimination and stereotypes still shape the daily experiences of many marriage migrants.

A recent JoongAng Ilbo survey of 49 marriage migrants — including 43 women and six men — found that 34.6 percent said they had faced "difficulties due to prejudice and discrimination." That figure was more than double the 16.3 percent who said they had experienced no particular hardship.

Lee now runs the You and Me Happiness Center (translated), a multicultural support facility in Gimpo, Gyeonggi. She said many women who visit the center continue to encounter degrading assumptions.

Lee Gyeong-suk poses for photos with her award certificate at the You and Me Happiness Center (translated) on Sept. 28, 2025. [JUN YUL]

“Some are asked, ‘Were you sold?’ or ‘How much did your family get for marrying you off?’” Lee said. “Others say their mothers-in-law closely watch them, suspecting they might be taking money from the household.”

Negative views of marriage migrants also appear in public opinion surveys.

A study by the Migration Research and Training Centre (MRTC) asked 6,000 Korean nationals whether they would form relationships with marriage migrants.

Among them, 9.9 percent said they would not form any relationship with a marriage migrant. This share was higher than those who rejected relationships with immigrants more broadly, at 8.7 percent, international students at 6.4 percent, or skilled professionals such as professors, at 6 percent.

Researchers linked the bias to negative portrayals of marriage migration in the media and public discourse, particularly coverage of fraudulent marriages arranged for immigration purposes and cases involving domestic violence.

People walk with umbrellas in Daegu, on Aug. 12, 2025, as rain falls and Korean flags are displayed. [YONHAP]

However, fraudulent marriages still remain a problem for authorities.

“A significant number of marriage visa applicants have a history of overstaying their visas or staying in Korea without legal authorization,” said an official at the Korea Immigration Office under the Ministry of Justice. “Some owners of prostitution businesses misuse marriage visas to bring people into Korea to work for them."

Experts stress the need to distinguish between fraudulent and genuine cases and to improve public perception of marriage migrants.

“The government said for decades that it needed to improve multicultural acceptance, but it failed to achieve that goal.” said Seol Dong-hoon, a sociology professor at Chonbuk National University. “Many Koreans still have stereotypes about marriage migrants.

“People can reduce their prejudice against marriage migrants by building more opportunities to communicate, just like when forming friendships. We need to start by creating ways for Koreans and foreigners to engage with one another.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY JUN YUL,LEE YOUNG-KEUN AND IM SOUNG-BIN [[email protected]]