이주여성들을 위한 폭력피해 핫라인, 비상 쉼터, 법률상담센터 확대
South Koreans were shocked, and outraged, when a video of a Korean man beating his Vietnamese wife went viral.
It's put the spotlight on ways for women who move to this country for marriage... to get help when they need it... in their native language, especially in emergencies.
Oh Soo-young sheds light on the necessary changes and improvements.
South Korea is ramping up support for 130-thousand migrant women who have moved to the country for marriage... to help them overcome cultural and social barriers as well as handle emergencies.
If a migrant woman faces violence or domestic abuse, but cannot communicate with the police, she can contact the DANURI helpline.
The hotline is open everyday, around the clock,... and offers help in 13 languages.
The government plans to increase the number of offline support centers to five by end of the year.
28Emergency shelters are also available through the hotline or at offline agencies.
Women can get protection and emotional therapy for up to two years.
Local organizations in Seoul and Daegu also offer emergency support.
And to help women start rebuilding their lives,... they also offer interpretation, information about job opportunities, job training, as well as legal advice.
"We aim to help migrant women settle here in Korea and learn about their human rights, by providing information about Korea, legal information and so on. We hope that they will also help other migrant women."
Migrant women have also formed their own communites to help each other become more socially active, learn Korean and develop friendships.
A woman from Mongolia, who was Korea's first politician of foreign descent, founded a community called DAMO.
"We get together to learn the Korean language together, organize cultural activities to share our diverse cultures with Koreans, and these days, we're focusing on diverse job opportunities."
Local governments are working with communities like these to help migrant women develop professional skillsets for quality jobs.
"While most migrant women in Korea tend to take on simple work like cleaning or working at restaurants, Seongnam City is offering training in medical tourism, so they can turn their native language skills into a specialized profession in interpretation."
"We are learning about the medical tourism industry and special terminologies, then we'll start practical training. It's a great career opportunity to help people from our countries who visit Korea for medical treatment."
Observers say more programs like these are needed to help migrant women settle in and contribute their unique skills to Korean society.
Oh Soo-young, Arirang News.
