본 연구의 목적은 이주노동자의 사회문화적 적응에 대한 경험적 연구를 통
해 이들의 적응실태를 알아보고 나아가 이주노동자들의 사회문화적 적응 지원
정책을 모색하는데 있다. 이주노동자들은 이주 후 새로운 문화, 규범, 가치관에
적응해야 하고, 한국사회와 사람을 이해하고 이에 적응해야 하며, 새로운 인간
관계도 만들어야 한다. 단일 민족, 단일문화를 기반으로 문화적 배타주의가 강
하게 나타나는 한국사회에서 이주자의 적응은 상당히 어려울 수 있다. 본 연구
에서는 이주노동자의 사회문화적 적응 구성요소로 한국어 수준, 한국 사회문화
에 대한 지식과 적응정도, 사회적 네트워크 및 모국문화와의 접촉정도 그리고
심리적 적응으로 문화적 스트레스, 삶의 만족도를 조사하였다. 조사결과 이주
노동자들은 한국 사회문화에 대한 지식이 높을수록 스트레스를 덜 받는 경향이
있으며, 한국어수준, 사회문화인식이 높을수록, 그리고 사회적 네트워크가 잘
형성될수록 삶의 만족도가 높다. 한편 이주노동자들은 모국문화와 다양한 방식
으로 접촉이 이루어지고 있고, 주로 모국인과 교류를 하고 있으며 한국인과 사
회단체와도 교류하는 것으로 나타났다. 한국사회는 이주노동자의 사회문화적
적응 지원과 함께 다양한 문화가 서로 적응하고 공존할 수 있도록 사회적 통합
방안을 모색해야 할 것이다.
The purpose of the study is to examine the actual conditions of adaptation of foreign workers immigrated in Korea and to search for policies supporting their sociocultural adaptation on the basis of the survey results. Immigrant workers have to accommodate themselves to a new culture, moral and value standard. They must understand Korean society and people and make new personal relationships; Otherwise their usual lives would be under a serial of conflict and tension. Especially in Korea, known as culturally exclusive and ethnically homogeneous, immigrant workers will have more difficulties in adaptation. As important factors of sociocultural adaptation of immigrant workers, this study investigates the level of comprehension of Korean language, the degree of understanding Korean value standard and Korean way of thinking and living, and the rate of contacts with social network and their own culture. The results are as follows. Foreign workers show differences between them according to their degree of sociocultural adaptation. The more they know about Korea, the less they tend to be stressed. The more they understand Korean language, society and culture, the more they are satisfied with Korean life. On the other hand, the more they experience discriminations, the more they feel stresses. Frequently keeping contacts with their own culture, they get in touch with their compatriot. Also, they sometimes take part in Korean organizations as well as meeting Koreans. For social integration, Korean society must support both adaptationrelated education for foreign workers and multi-cultural education for Koreans.
The purpose of the study is to examine the actual conditions of adaptation of foreign workers immigrated in Korea and to search for policies supporting their sociocultural adaptation on the basis of the survey results. Immigrant workers have to accommodate themselves to a new culture, moral and value standard. They must understand Korean society and people and make new personal relationships; Otherwise their usual lives would be under a serial of conflict and tension. Especially in Korea, known as culturally exclusive and ethnically homogeneous, immigrant workers will have more difficulties in adaptation. As important factors of sociocultural adaptation of immigrant workers, this study investigates the level of comprehension of Korean language, the degree of understanding Korean value standard and Korean way of thinking and living, and the rate of contacts with social network and their own culture. The results are as follows. Foreign workers show differences between them according to their degree of sociocultural adaptation. The more they know about Korea, the less they tend to be stressed. The more they understand Korean language, society and culture, the more they are satisfied with Korean life. On the other hand, the more they experience discriminations, the more they feel stresses. Frequently keeping contacts with their own culture, they get in touch with their compatriot. Also, they sometimes take part in Korean organizations as well as meeting Koreans. For social integration, Korean society must support both adaptationrelated education for foreign workers and multi-cultural education for Koreans.
