Chungcheongnam-do

To substantially support those multiracial and multicultural families in Chungnam, pertinent introduction and constant operation of several programs are urgently needed. Above all things, it is necessary to practice interactive education programs for communication and culture learning into which women immigrant by marriage and their husbands and parents-in-law can participate together. Similarly, it is needed to run programs to help them well adapt to Korean society such as traditional Korean culture class, Korean cooking class. And besides, mutual understanding of marriage partner's culture and deep communication among family members should be promoted.
Now Chungnam enforces diverse and effective policies to help immigrants by marriage well settle down in Korean society and increase their quality of life.

Multiracial and Multicultural Festival for Getting Along with Diversity
The 2nd Multiracial and Multicultural Festival, a gala for the harmony between multiracial families and common residents in Chungnam, was held on the Guderae Agora in Buyeo county on October 11th, 2008.
This festival with the topic of ‘Harmonious world to open together’ in which more than 3,000 members of multicultural families and foreign workers had participated gave chance to experience ‘Sangseng Chungnam: the harmonious life with others’. This festival falled on the 54th Baekje Cultural Festival and provided plenty of events and participation chances to audience. So diverse events and activities were introduced and performed such as each country's folk dance and music, quiz contest for well knowing about Korean culture, event of introducing about ‘Korea as I felt’, diverse recreation activities, tug-of-war, special talent contest, etc.
And P.R. booth for people to well understand each other by country, a class providing chances to learn about the international trade history between Korea and other countries and a class for experiencing Korean traditional culture were run during the festival period.
Finally, the festival ended after the contest of flying ‘kite of hope’ by country.

Establishment of Support Center for Immigrants by Marriage in Every City and County
Chungnam extended its support for the foreign women who immigrated by marriage to Korea to stand by themselves as a member of our society according as those immigrants increased.
According to the supporting measures of this year for the women immigrants by marriage, the total budget for working expenses has increased from 2.95 bil. won(KRW) to 5.65 bil. won. First of all, Chungnam province provides 350 mil.won to each county and each city to establsh ‘Support Center for the Immigrant Family’ which will exclusively support women immigrants and her Families.
A director of the office of woman and family policy of Chungnam said, “Our related institutions and associations, including the ‘Support Center for the Immigrant Family’, urge immigrant women to actively participate in education programs like Korean lecture to strengthen each pride as a Korean.” Currently, there are 2,190 of married women immigrants in Chungnam as of the end of 2007. According the classification by country, there are 574 Vietnamese, 348 Filipinas, 275 Japanese and 249 Chinese.


Chungnam Places an Emphasis on Supporting the Settlement of Women Immigrants Family
As the number of immigrants by marriage(36,591women) steadily increases, Chungnam also increases its supporting policies. Chungnam formed a Task Force with 5 subsections to support the multiracial and multicultural families and established a efficient support system for 23 projects such as supporting foreign workers, supporting the kids of multicultural families, etc.(May, 2007). And it appointed 15 honorary ambassadors for P.R. from 12 countries to represent the positions and points of view of the multicultural families.(October, 2007).
Chungnam operates such projects as giving classes to learn Korean letters , supporting married women immigrants in getting their driver license. As for a kids supporting policy, Chungnam invested 250 mil. KRW and now supports nursery the tuition fee of 1,000 kids.
Moreover, it has a plan to make a regular meeting among the T/F team, honorary ambassadors and officials concerned to develop sustainable supporting policies.