• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.40-53
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• 2008

A case study has been conducted on the changes in the identity and agency of international marriage migrant women who experienced a shift from a immigrant worker to a foreign spouse and a Korean citizen. The life histories of the eight female migrants living in Gumi area, a representative inland industrial complex in Korea, have been investigated by in-depth interview. The aim is to examine how the female migrants reconstruct and interpret their lives. The results reveal that the identy of a female migrant is flexible depending on her social positionality. The identities established from the past experiences in their native countries have been changed by their situations and conditions in Korea. The female immigrants recognize that their problems have been an important issue both in government policy and mass media. However, the female migrants express a strong revolt against the fact that they are considered as underclass victims or innocent people from underdeveloped countries. This implies their ambivalence toward international marriage that they selected subjectively. There is a finding to show a new possibility; the Transnational Marriage & Family Support Center supported by Government may provide a good ground for the female migrants to be a active group agent. The results illustrate that the international marriage migrant women could not be classified into a single group as wives. Called for are diverse researches reflecting the complex situations of migrant women.

• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.145-170
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to figure out married female immigrants' experience and process of investing in human capital in Korea. The participants were 11 women from multicultural families who had experience of investing in human capital in Korea, could communicate in the Korean language, and were living in Daegu. The data were collected using intensive interviews. The major findings were as follows: The participants' level of education and work experience in native country were not accepted as human capital and offered no advantages or obtaining employment in Korea, while English language skills were useful for those pursuing an English lecturer position. The motives for investing in human capital were 'adjusting to early stage of marriage and a new environments', 'for their childrens' education', 'to improve female immigrants' level of education', 'seeking a better job', and 'advocating more education'. The types of investing in human capital were 'learning Korean language and culture', 'applying to Open University or taking a middle or high school qualification examination', 'obtaining certification', and 'entering regular university'. The participants' plans for investing in the future were 'finding their own job', 'entering regular university', and 'participating in useful educational programs including Korean language skills for daily life' The results showed that the participants' motives for investing in human capital were related in the stage of their marriage. The phases and changes in their motives during a marriage proved that the participants continued to invest in human capital according to their needs and situation.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.18-26
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• 2008

Purpose: To assess the health status and health behavior characteristics of immigrant women married to Koreans. Method: A descriptive research design was employed. Fifty female marriage immigrants who were clients of the visiting health program at W public health center were recruited. After full consent, direct interview with a structured questionnaire and physical measurements were conducted by visiting health nurses. Descriptive statistics were utilized. Results: All of the subjects showed normal blood sugar. 25.7% of them exhibited extreme body weight condition of either obesity or low body weight by BMI. 36.4% had pre-hypertension stage and 15.9% had first stage of hypertension. Only two of the women had been diagnosed with hypertension and treated by a doctor. Almost all (95%) of them perceived their general health status as good or moderate. Most of them did not exercise, smoke or drink. Regarding dental care, no subject brushed before lunch. and only one did between meals. About 30$\sim$60% of subjects had undergone health screening. Conclusion: Health education is needed for immigrant women married to Koreans to enhance their health behavior, prevent life style disease and improve their health.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.71-85
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• 2012

Marriage Immigrants have greater impact on local communities than migrant workers and foreign students, all the more because their children are relatively more important. Therefore, this study aims to inquire into the fundamental cause on the choice of residential location of marriage immigrants. Residential segregation is often considered to be one of the social problems that intensify locality of residential district. Although migrant workers and foreign students cannot freely decide their residential location at the outset, they could change their residence later on. However marriage immigrants are not free from the residential location choice continuously. The intentional(involuntary) residential segregation brings differential residence of marriage immigrants. The residential segregation of marriage immigrants is concerned with the close relationship of their ethnic background and the community characteristic with focus on Vietnamese and Filipino. The results of this study could be used basic guideline for community development policy for marriage immigrants.

• Journal of Korean Library and Information Science Society
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.113-137
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• 2009

The aim of this study is to investigate information literacy of immigrants in Korea and to suggest some ways to improve their information literacy. In conducting this study, a survey was given to 415 migrant workers and female marriage immigrants living in Busan and Gyeongsangnam-do area. The survey shows that the information literacy of immigrants in Korea is on basic level and the fields of information use, information production, information ethics and information and communication technology are on relatively low level. To reinforce the status of information literacy of immigrants, some effective ways need to be developed in information literacy education programs and Korean language programs.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.173-182
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• 2016

Purpose: This study was conducted to survey female Vietnamese marriage immigrants' life stress and to analyze factors influencing their life stress and coping strategies. Methods: As descriptive correlation research, this study conducted a survey with 182 conveniently sampled subjects. Data were collected in June, 2015, and analyzed with descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and stepwise multiple regression. Results: The subjects' life stress levels were above average, and significantly varied according to their health, and economic status. Stress coping strategies used by the subjects included assistance seeking, problem avoidance, wishful thinking, problem solving, and emotional alleviation in the order of frequency. As a result of the stepwise multiple regression, economic level, economic activity, and health status were found to be the most significant factors influencing the subjects' life stress, and these variables explained 45.1% of the variation in life stress. Conclusion: Female marriage immigrants were experiencing above-average life stress, and they were coping with it mainly in terms of assistance seeking or problem avoidance. In order to mitigate their stress, therefore, it is necessary to provide extended employment opportunities and economic activities for them so that they can cultivate their abilities in health management.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.891-902
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• 2008

Some Korean men choose to marry a foreigner expecting that marriage will solve all their problems. Therefore, this case study is to provide basic information on how to prevent conflicts in the marriage and how to get used to the marriage life. first, it is apparent that these match-makings between Korean men and married Female Immigrants are commercialized and are based on the two parties' convenience. Second, it is more possible that the issues with the role of husband/wife and the allocation of household labor stem from the cultural differences from international racial differences rather than Korean men are authoritative or patriarchal. It seems that the foreign brides from the third world countries choose to many Korean men with only a single purpose to financially help their parents. While neither willing to share household labor nor providing what is expected to be a wife, they demand financial assists for their parents or choose to get a job at a factory to make money. Third, the husbands expect their wives to learn Korean since there is not much opportunity to learn the wives' language and the culture. Also, the textbooks are rare to find for the languages. Moreover, the husbands do not have the enthusiasm or the ability to team due to age Fourth, the Korean men are rather psychological, financial, social victims than domestic abusers.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.613-620
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• 2020

This study aimed to investigate the current state and trends of health literacy research conducted on female marriage immigrant in South Korea over the past 10 years. A total of 107 related studies were searched through the web database, and 10 of them that met the inclusion criteria were finally analyzed. Most of the studies conducted in the healthcare fields such as nursing. Of the 9 studies were descriptive study, and there were no intervention studies. Most of studies involving women from main country of origin such as Vietnam, China, and the Philippines, and many studies conducted convenience sampling of less than 200 subjects from some regions for reasons such as accessibility. As a tool for measuring health literacy, KHLAT was most frequently used. For future research, collaborative research with healthcare fields and other fields through interdisciplinary interaction is necessary, and a circumstance in which field workers actively participate in research should be prepared. In addition, further studies including larger sample and community-based intervention improve health literacy are needed. Finally, efforts to improve the methodological consistency in the application of health literacy tools and to develop standardized instruments are required.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.185-197
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• 2016

This study was conducted to examine the factors affecting the life satisfaction of married female immigrants and Korean husbands. Data for this study were obtained from the National Survey of Multicultural Families conducted in 2012. The study sample consisted of 5,232 couples within the first five years of marriage. Data were evaluated using a paired t-test, K-mean cluster analysis, ANOVA, and ordered logistic regression analysis. The results were as follows: 1) life satisfaction was higher for married female immigrants than for Korean husbands. 2) The general characteristics, acceptance attitude, language acceptance, and social network differed significantly depending on life satisfaction levels. 3) The multicultural acceptance attitude of husbands, ability of married female immigrants to speak Korean, and ability of Korean husbands to speak wives' native languages improved life satisfaction levels. The results of this study can be used to improve the life satisfaction of married female immigrants and Korean husbands.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare Studies
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.133-161
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• 2018

Despite the amount of government budget and resources used for female immigrants who married Korean spouses, it has not been evaluated yet whether the services designed for the immigrants are actually delivered to potential users with social needs. This study is an attempt to identify moderating factors associated with perceived needs and utilizing services of the Multicultural Family Support Centers. The National Survey on Multicultural Families 2015 is used for the analysis. Findings are as follows: the immigrant with better Korean communication skills would use the center services more when they have needs; the immigrants who lack skills were more likely to use center services in spite of the needs. Secondly, the more female spouses satisfied with their marriages, they were less likely to use the services; however, the moderating effect was not significant, On the other hand, Korean male spouses' patriarchal attitude was statistically significant. According to the results, practical and political implications were suggested.