This study tries to understand the service usage of international marriage
migrant women and their relationship with their family and to seek better
ways for them to settle in Korea and to improve their family relations. In
order to achieve this objective, 152 migrant women were surveyed. The
results are as follows.
First, the average age of international marriage migrant women was 32
years old, high school was the highest level of schooling for most of them,
and their command of Korean language was roughly moderate. The average
number of families of these women was 4.13 while majority of them lived
with their spouses and children and some of them lived with their parents
in law. The average monthly income was 1.51 million wons and most of
their houses were owned. The reason of marriage was because they liked
their Korean husband and to live in Korea. Most of them were introduced
to their spouses through acquaintance or marriage brokerage companies and
the majority of them were unemployed. Child education was their biggest
financial difficulty followed by income, profession, child care, in order.
Second, the average level of satisfactory in their relationship with their
children was 1.76, and 3.05 with their husbands. The level of satisfactory
was different among different level of language skills and monthly income
while age, income, and motivation of marriage indicated significant difference
in the level of satisfaction in their relationship with their husbands.
Measures that can be provided to better serve them live in Korean
society and to increase their family relationships are as follows.
First, the intervention should be on the entire family rather than an
individual. Second, the migrant women should be given diverse programs
which will facilitate them to adapt to Korean life. Third, spouse counseling as well as family counseling should be provided in order to overcome
cultural differences. Fourth, measures should be provided to solve their
financial difficulties and to ensure the rights of international marriage
migrant women. Fifth, the Korean society should change their perceptions
against these women.