By This is actually a great thing done by the Korean Ministry of Administration and Home Affairs:
Thai Ti To Nguyen, 28, never thought she could meet her parents in Seoul. She only dreamed about it.
It became a reality on Monday. The Vietnamese woman, who said she came to Korea nine years ago to make money to help her parents raise her younger siblings, reunited with her parents at the Incheon International Airport.The Ministry of Administration and Home Affairs invited Ngyuen’s parents, who were among 86 relatives of Southeast Asian spouses who married Korean men, on the all-expenses paid trip as part of a celebration of International Migrants Day on Dec. 18.
“I tried not to cry and closed my eyes,” Nguyen said about the moment of her reunion with her parents at the airport. “Mom and dad, they didn’t say a word. And when I opened my eyes, they were weeping silently. It was the first time I saw my father’s eyes get teary.” [Joong Ang Ilbo]
I often criticize the anti-foreigner agendas in Korea, but it would be wrong not to recognize the things they do right as well. This is definitely something the Korean government should be commended for doing for a population of people in Korea that is often overlooked and mistreated.
10:42 pm on December 5th, 2007 1
I have been to Songtan last Month and saw many foreigners there. Despite of all criticism, it was good to see that Korea is becoming more tolerant with foreigners. I think it is just a matter of time for Koreans to accept foreigners as part of Korean modern life.
2:00 am on December 6th, 2007 2
What were these Korean Son-in-Law (SaWie) doing all these years after they were married to their foreign wives? I am not sure about these Korean men's financial situation, but they should be the one who should be responsible to send their wives to her homeland to see their family at least once in every 5 years. It cost about kw700,000 per round trip from ICN to SGN via Korean Air. Why does Govt doing this for them when it should be these SaWie's responsibility? If they can afford to pay for the brokers to fix them up with these SEA women, then I believe they can afford 70ManWon for their wife's happiness at least once every 5 years.
3:37 am on December 6th, 2007 3
CPT Kim,
Your point is well taken. However, the government only flew the families of a few dozen immigrants to Korea. I would assume the few dozen people they picked would be from farming families that are not financially well off. That seems to be the logical explanation to me.