As part of a long-term campaign to promote the status of multicultural families, the government has come to support the use of double languages in such homes.
The Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs yesterday launched a multicultural language class in a multicultural family support community center in Dongjak-gu, Seoul.
Following Dongjak-gu, 10 more centers across the country will consecutively open such classes to help multicultural children adjust to Korean society and seek their cultural identity.
The facilities and programs are sponsored by the Korea Land Corporation and Seogang University.
Posters with the slogan "bilingual multicultural children as potential future global leaders" in nine different languages have been distributed in schools, pharmacies, immigration offices and other facilities to promote the campaign.
The languages taught in the classes are Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese, Philippine, Japanese, Cambodian, Mongolian, Russian and English. The study and use of these languages will be promoted through linguistic competitions, classes and other related events.
"We intend to get rid of the prejudice against the use of non-English mother tongues of a parent," said a ministry official.
The campaign is not only aimed at helping the socially isolated multicultural families, but also at reinforcing Korea`s manpower in the international community, according to the ministry.
"Multicultural children are potential civil diplomats who connect Korea and their parent`s motherland," said Health and Welfare Minister Jeon Jae-hee at the ceremony opening the multicultural class. "The ministry will further put to practice other policies to support these children."
By Bae Hyun-jung
From The Korean Herald April 3, 2009
The Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs yesterday launched a multicultural language class in a multicultural family support community center in Dongjak-gu, Seoul.
Following Dongjak-gu, 10 more centers across the country will consecutively open such classes to help multicultural children adjust to Korean society and seek their cultural identity.
The facilities and programs are sponsored by the Korea Land Corporation and Seogang University.
Posters with the slogan "bilingual multicultural children as potential future global leaders" in nine different languages have been distributed in schools, pharmacies, immigration offices and other facilities to promote the campaign.
The languages taught in the classes are Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese, Philippine, Japanese, Cambodian, Mongolian, Russian and English. The study and use of these languages will be promoted through linguistic competitions, classes and other related events.
"We intend to get rid of the prejudice against the use of non-English mother tongues of a parent," said a ministry official.
The campaign is not only aimed at helping the socially isolated multicultural families, but also at reinforcing Korea`s manpower in the international community, according to the ministry.
"Multicultural children are potential civil diplomats who connect Korea and their parent`s motherland," said Health and Welfare Minister Jeon Jae-hee at the ceremony opening the multicultural class. "The ministry will further put to practice other policies to support these children."
By Bae Hyun-jung
From The Korean Herald April 3, 2009
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