Suwon Holds Online Communication Meeting with Multicultural Related Agencies

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Seo Dong-young] Suwon City held an online '2021 Multicultural Related Agencies Communication Meeting' on the 4th to discuss support measures for multicultural families and foreign residents.

The meeting was attended by Kim Mi-sook, director of Suwon City's Multicultural Policy Division, and officials from eight organizations including Suwon City's Foreign Resident Welfare Center, Multicultural Family Support Center, and Global Youth Dream Center.

The city plans to implement projects including 'Educational Programs for Multicultural Families and Foreign Residents,' 'Foreign Resident Emergency Support Project,' and 'Multicultural Community Project Contest,' among others.

Customized education and counseling programs include the 'Home Learning Materials Support Project for Children of Multicultural Families,' online Korean language education services for foreign workers and marriage immigrants, and professional counseling and early adaptation programs for youth with migration backgrounds.

The 'Foreign Resident Emergency Support Project,' which assists foreign residents experiencing sudden financial difficulties, will continue. The city provides living expenses (1 million won for households of four or more), medical expenses (up to 1 million won per person), and maternity benefits (up to 500,000 won per person).

The city will also conduct the 'Multicultural Community Project Contest,' which supports business expenses for organizations and groups that plan and apply with outstanding projects and programs for foreign residents. Projects that enhance the capacity of foreign residents and multicultural families and create self-reliance foundations will be selected and supported with 3 to 5 million won per project.

In addition, the city will implement 'Smart Work Life Support for Foreign Workers' to help overcome helplessness due to COVID-19, provide free medical services (internal medicine, surgery, dentistry, etc.), and conduct 'Housing Environment Improvement Projects for Multicultural Families' (such as replacing worn-out flooring and wallpaper).

As of November 2019, the number of foreign residents living in Suwon is 67,073. The number of multicultural family members is 25,722, foreign workers are 14,052, and overseas Koreans are 14,949.

A city official stated, "Although there are difficulties in face-to-face activities due to COVID-19, we will find efficient ways to actively support multicultural families and foreign residents," and added, "We will establish an active communication system with multicultural-related organizations to help ensure stable settlement of multicultural families and foreign residents."