Original article in Korean is at this link.

Though there are 45,475 foreign permanent residents in the country, just 0.2% (97) of them are high-earners with a doctoral degree, a study has found. Six in ten are employed as irregular workers. Although the government is opening the door to immigration to deal with the low birth rate and aging population, the immigration policy aimed at producing a low-level society could lead to Europe-style social discord, the study said.

According to the Ministry of Strategy and Finance (기획재정부) and Ministry of Justice (법무부) on July 26th, at the end of last year in this country there were 45,475 foreign permanent residents from 78 countries. In 2002 the system for obtaining permanent residence was introduced and the number of permanent residents went from 6,022 in 2002 to 20,000 in 2009 and then doubled last year.

The increasing number of permanent residents are mainly ethnic Koreans from China (Chosun-jok) and marriage immigrants, nearly none of whom are the high-earner the government is seeking to attract. At the end of last year, among all permanent residents there were 19,496 overseas Koreans, 12,690 marriage immigrants and their children, and 11,560 Chinese-Koreans. Those three groups made up 96% of the total. Just 0.2%, or 97, were high earners such as investors bringing at least $50,000 or holders of doctoral degrees and other qualifications.

Most permanent residenets are irregularly or unemployed and make even less than poor Korean laborers. Their average monthly salary of 1.89 million won is 60% of the average Korean laborer’s 3.08 million won.

With most permanent residents in such poor economic circumstances, they have many complaints about Korean society, the study found. On the social metrics of labor force participation, political activity, and anti-discrimination, when compared to Europe and North America, Korea comes in 21st out of 29 nations. It was 27th in the area of anti-discrimination policy. Norway, where there has been debate over multiculturalism and terrorism recently, ranked 8th overall and 16th on anti-discrimination policy, both considerably better than Korea.

Seol Dong-hun, the Chonbuk National University professor of sociology who led the study, said that “permanent residents are treated even worse than a large number of foreign laborers and are highly dissatisfied socially and economically, so there is a chance of trouble over multiculturalism… we need a comprehensive immigration policy that can deal with these troubles over multiculturalism while also attracting high earners.”