• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.59-73
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• 2019

This study examined the possible causes of nutritional inadequacy in Vietnamese immigrant women married to Korean husbands. Qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted with a sample of 34 Vietnamese marriage immigrant women and 17 Korean spouses participating in or having experienced Nutrition Plus from four Community Health Centers in Seoul, Korea. The study results showed that the nutritional staus of the Vietnamese marriage immigrant women was affected by the unfamiliar Korean food (cultural factor), low household income (economical factor), difficulty in purchasing Vietnamese food (environmental factor), and low accessibility to nutrition support systems (social factor). The Korean husbands' nutritional status was affected by the unfamiliar Vietnamese food (cultural factor), low household income (economic factor), and irregular working conditions (social factors). Nutritional interventions as a public service to the community needs to be developed and applied. Suggestions are presented regarding the future efforts to better understand and meet the nutrition needs of intermarried couples to respond to their heterogeneous needs and deliver adequate nutrition service to ever increasing intermarried families.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.375-388
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• 2022

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the factors influencing depression among married Vietnamese immigrant women living in Korea. Methods: This study was a retrospective review of the dataset from the Korean 2018 National Multicultural Family Survey. The data were analyzed using the Rao-Scott x² test and multiple logistic regression using complex samples analysis. Results: The proportion of married Vietnamese immigrant women subjects in Korea who experienced depression was 27.7%. The factors affecting depression were age, length of stay in Korea, living area, economic status, difficulties in using medical care, difficulties faced during their stay in Korea and Korean language skills relationship with spouse and parents-in-law marital conflicts, cultural differences, their experience of social discrimination, life satisfaction, and meeting with friends from their homeland. Conclusion: The findings in this study indicate that the prevention of depression in married immigrant women in Korea could be aided by acculturation programs that deal with the relationships with their spouses and social supports.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2017

Drinking water deficiency is prevalent in developing countries due to contamination of surface and ground water, difficulties of water treatment, and lack of water infrastructures. 'Rainwater For Drinking (RFD)' projects are emerging as one of the effective solutions globally since RFD systems provide safe drinking water from rainwater. In RFD projects, perception of local residents toward RFD project is essential as local residents must manage their RFD systems on their own after the project finishes. This research performed survey and interview to 209 local residents, who use RFD systems, and analyzed their general perception, expected effects and feared factors toward RFD projects. Through the research, it was shown that the most of the local residents have positive perception towards RFD projects' effectiveness (41.9%) and are willing to participate (58.9%). The top three expected effect factors of the RFD projects were 'supply of safe water source', 'vitalization of local community', and 'expansion of RFD system'. The top three feared factors were 'quality of rainwater', 'technical factors of RFD system', and 'maintenance of RFD system'. The research findings indicate that development of simple water quality measuring device and education of the local residents about RFD system is necessary for better maintenance of the RFD system after the project finishes.

• Journal of the Korean housing association
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.1-8
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• 2013

Recently international marriage has been increasing steadfastly in Korea and its diversity of nationality has been expanding also. Korean government and academic circles are actively studying on such trends in population to find out proper measures to cope with such social changes. But their studies on improving the residential environment that is the base of the essential three factors of life, clothing, food and housing are not sufficient enough. Therefore it is necessary to study in depth and diversity about the residential environments of multi-culture families that are the base of their life. It is necessary to comparatively study the residential status and demands of these immigrants by marriage. The purpose of this study is to comparatively study the residential status and demand of immigrant women by marriage according to their nationalities. The objects of this study are the immigrant women by marriage from China, Vietnam and Cambodia who take the high portion of immigrant women in Jeonju-si and survey was used as study method. The result of this study revealed that the general characteristics, residential status and demands of immigrant women showed certain differences and the direction of residential plans for them in future based on these differences was proposed. This study is meaningful as basic information to improve the residential conditions of the multi-culture families in order to enhance their quality of life in preparation for the coming society of multi-culture.

• Journal of Labour Economics
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.59-87
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• 2015

This study investigates the influence of human capital on wages of female marriage migrants in Korea using the 'National Survey on Multicultural Families 2012'. The results show that educational attainment has little influence on wages of female marriage migrants in Korea and that educational attainment in their origin country has positive influence on the labor market in Korea. However, work experiences in the origin country and duration in Korea are not significantly related to wages of female marriage migrants in Korea. The subgroup analyses by nationality find that the education wage premium is large in groups for Korean-Chinese women, other Asian countries and other countries. Among occupations, managers and professionals officers earn the highest wages in all groups. In addition, the manager and professional officer groups show the large education wage premium, especially among Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean-Chinese female marriage migrants.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.1-26
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• 2008

The main purpose of this paper is to explore the impacts of foreign wife status and social capital on fertility among a group of Chinese, Vietnamese and Japanese wives in Korea. Attention is focused on the argument that minority group status and immigrant social capital exerts an independent effect on fertility, apart from socioeconomic and demographic variables. It is hypothesized that the level and tempo of fertility of foreign wives reflect their social disadvantages and the adaptation process. Micro-data from two socio-demographic surveys were utilized to analyze the reproductive outcomes of foreign and native wives in Korea. Results of analyses reveal that foreign wives in Korea tend to have fewer children compared to native Korean women. It was found that a foreign wife's access to social capital significantly facilitates reproductive behavior. Those who engage themselves more in voluntary activities, have more friends in Korea, and possess better and higher-quality social networks tend to have more children. Foreign wives with a high degree of integration or assimilation to the new surroundings were also found to have more children than other foreign wives.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.64 no.2
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• pp.241-271
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• 2012

This questionnaire study examined the processes linking bicultural identity to self-positivity derived from taking multiple perspectives that, in turn, affects marital well-being among marriage immigrant women. Data were drawn from 281 marriage immigrant women residing in large cities in Korea including Seoul metropolitan area. Results of covariance structural analyses supported most study hypotheses: As predicted, bicultural identity contributed to self-positivity composed of taking multiple perspectives, self-acceptance and self-regulation, and the self-positivity, in turn, promoted marital well-being, conceptualized as marital satisfaction and marital stability. Bicultural identity also showd a significant direct positive effect on marital well-being. In path analyses conducted with observed variables, Korean cultural identity and home cultural identity both had significant positive effects on multiple perspective taking, through which these identity variables were positively related to self-acceptance and self-regulation. While self-acceptance was, as expected, positively related to marital satisfaction, thus indirectly promoting marital stability, the positive effect of self-regulation on marital stability was not signifiant. Taking multiple perspectives was found to promote marital well-being through encouraging both self-acceptance and consensus with a spouse. The effect of Korean cultural identity on marital well-being was found to be completely mediated by self-acceptance and consensus with a spouse fostered by taking multiple perspectives. In contrast, the effect of home cultural identity on marital well-being was partly mediated by such paths, and home cultural identity also had a positive direct effect on marital satisfaction and a negative direct effect on marital stability, suggesting its effect on marital well-being is complicated. Yet total effects of both types of cultural identity on marital well-being turned out to be positive. These results suggest that bicultural identity, supposed to be a psychological strength among marriage immigrant women, may indeed function as psychological resources that promote positive attitude as well as marital well-being. Finally, implications for multicultural social work practice are discussed.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.22-30
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• 2009

This study aimed to examine nutritional status and similarities of diets between Vietnamese female immigrants and Korean spouses and dietary changes of Vietnamese females after immigration. Subjects were 608 couples visiting 13 medical centers for the Cohort of Intermarried Women in Korea from November 2006 to November 2007. Anthropometric and biochemical measurements were obtained and dietary intakes were assessed using one-day 24-hour recall. Sixty-eight percent of wives answered there have been changes in their diets and consumptions of meats, fish, dairy products, vegetables, and fruits increased after immigration. Energy intakes of wives and spouses were 1491.7 kcal and 1788.8 kcal, respectively, showing most couples (80.1%) consumed less than the Korean estimated energy requirements. More than half of the couples were below the Korean estimated average requirements of zinc, vitamin $B_2$, and folate. The correlation coefficients between couples ranged 0.15-0.38 for unadjusted, 0.22-0.35 for per 1000 kcal, and 0.21-0.40 for energy-adjusted, respectively. The proportions of couples in the same quartiles of each nutrient intake and in the same answers of each question of Mini Dietary Assessment were about 30% across nutrients and around 50% across questions. The length of residence is related to similarities of nutrient intakes between couples: similarities decreased after 3 years of residence in Korea. In conclusion, nutritional intakes of inter-married couples were inadequate although wives reported that their dietary intakes increased after immigration. Inadequate nutrient intakes of wives were partly explained by similar diets between couples because these wives without enough adjustment to Korean culture were more likely to follow what their spouses ate. Findings from this study may be helpful to improve the nutritional status of inter-married couples and make policies and programs for them. A follow-up study should identify factors affecting inadequate nutritional status of intermarried couples and similarities of their diets.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.61 no.1
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• pp.163-194
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• 2009

The purposes of the presented study were to investigate the characteristics related to the acculturation strategies and to investigate characteristics which discriminated the acculturation strategies among immigrated women in Korea based on the multidimensional perspective on acculturation. The study was designed as a social survey study. Data from 346 immigrated women were analyzed. Findings indicated that 37% of the respondents were marginalization, 30% were integration, 18% were segregation, and 15% were assimilation. Integration was associated with Vietnam nationality, younger age, lower level of education. Assimilation was related to longer period of residence, higher number of children, lower level of resilience. Marginalization was associated with North Korea, Japan, China nationality, older age, higher level of education. Segregation was related to older age, higher level of education, lower number of children. Also, Southeast nationality, age, level of education, spouse, and number of children significantly discriminated the acculturation strategies. Especially, the rate of correct discrimination was 80% only for integration. Practical implications from this study were discussed.

• Journal of Christian Education in Korea
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• v.77
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• pp.7-27
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• 2024

This study addresses the crucial role of Christian Religious Education (CRE) amidst civic polarization, moral disimagination, and learned helplessness. It begins her personal background as a 1.5-generation Vietnamese American and her academic engagement in immigrant faith and the challenges of teaching faith in violent contexts. The work underscores the public dimension and impact of religious education, highlighting its potential for fostering critical capacities for public engagement. However, that study observes a prevalent disconnection between congregational culture and the aim of public engagement, leading to a form of learned helplessness among students and communities. The researcher draws on Paulo Freire's concepts of "critical hope" and the need for a curriculum that transcends mere content delivery to foster transformative engagement with societal issues. The document critiques the disimigination machine that undermines critical thinking and collective resistance, as articulated by Henry Giroux, and explores the concepts of "learned helplessness" as a barrier to environmental and social activism. The researcher advocates for a theopoetic and theopolitical approach to education that nurtures hope and practical engagement with the world's injustice. She emphasizes small acts of theopoetic and theopolitical hope as transformative practices, using an example from Ferguson, Missouri, to illustrate how public liturgy and protest can mediate hope and justice. The document concludes with a call for a life-long, life-wide, and life-deep curriculum of enchantment towards responsible participation in societal repair, rooted in Christian hope.