Barriers to Promoting Structural and Relational Integration Among Students with Refugee Backgrounds in the South Korean Education System

Jisun Jeong () and Jihae Cha
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Jisun Jeong: School of Education, American University, 4801 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC 20016, USA
Jihae Cha: Graduate School of Education and Human Development, The George Washington University, 2134 G. St. NW, Washington, DC 20037, USA

Social Sciences, 2025, vol. 14, issue 10, 1-19

Abstract: This study examines refugee integration in South Korea’s emerging asylum context by analyzing how education policies and practices shape inclusion, drawing on interviews with 23 key informants from government and civil society. Despite legal frameworks guaranteeing access, findings reveal how institutional, sociocultural, and political factors create significant policy–practice gaps, hindering both structural integration (enrollment, curriculum, language of instruction, certification) and relational integration (sense of belonging) in schools. Barriers include bureaucratic obstacles, language barriers, discrimination, and limited post-secondary pathways. While civil society actors create opportunities, broader systemic changes are needed to promote the meaningful inclusion of students with refugee backgrounds in South Korean society.

Keywords: refugee integration; policy implementation; social inclusion; institutional barriers; South Korea; refugee education (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A B N P Y80 Z00 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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