multicultural families-support programs

SEOUL, Nov. 2 (Yonhap) -- The government has begun examining support programs for families of multicultural backgrounds, legal sources said Friday, after President Lee Jae Myung raised questions over such programs potentially leaving others at a relative disadvantage.

The justice ministry asked local municipalities late last month to look into the status of their programs amid fresh debate over whether they offer preferential treatment to multicultural families and discriminate against Korean families.

Based on the findings, the ministry is expected to check for possible discrimination, according to the sources.

Lee said in a social media post last week that he would review whether preferential support programs for multicultural families were necessary, drawing backlash from critics who viewed the remarks as inciting division.

Still, Lee has doubled down on his call, saying any preferential policy that leads to reverse discrimination cannot be justified.

The Seoul city government has started inspecting the capital's 26 support programs for multicultural families, which include offering children of such families priority slots for daycare centers regardless of their family's income level.

The city also operates postpartum care centers that give priority access for mothers from multicultural families and persons of national merit.

Prior to the president's comments, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon reportedly instructed city officials to find ways to improve such programs.

In a press conference held Thursday, Oh acknowledged the need for policy support and consideration for multicultural families but noted programs that are demanded by many should be more carefully designed.

Multicultural families account for a minority of South Korea's population of around 51 million people.

As of last year, there were some 1.25 million people making up 451,492 multicultural households, according to the data ministry.

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