□ [26 Local Elections] Hot Issue

With the immigrant population surpassing 5% of the total population, the transition to a multicultural society is becoming a reality. This shift is not a political issue; it is a fundamental condition for local government policy design in areas such as education, welfare, jobs, and administration. Local elections are a process for determining how to explain and implement policies for daily life, based on this demographic shift. 

 

Therefore, the increase in the immigrant population is not a matter of pros and cons, but rather an administrative demand that local administrations must respond to based on facts.

□ Immigrant Background Residents/Multicultural Families × Top 5 Local Election News

① Expanding Integrated Support for Children and Adolescents with Migrant Backgrounds.
The government announced that it will expand a pilot project for integrated services that link language, learning, and career paths for children and adolescents with migrant backgrounds. This policy comes at a time when local governments' roles in education, care, and welfare administration are becoming increasingly important, and it is directly linked to the stability of multicultural families.
Source: Asia Economy / Ministry of Gender Equality and Family
URL: https://www.asiae.co.kr/article/2026012710375625494

 

② Statistics released: The immigrant population surpasses 5.2%
Official statistics confirm that the immigrant population has surpassed 5% of the total population, becoming a key pillar of local community composition. This demonstrates that it has become a fundamental premise to consider when designing education, administrative, and welfare policies in local elections.
Source: Press reports / National Data Agency statistics cited
URL: https://v.daum.net/v/F2LRtZNdlu

 

③ Increased Mention of Multicultural Children's Policies During Local Elections
In some regions, reports have indicated that policies supporting multicultural children are being mentioned alongside the registration of local election candidates. This demonstrates that the educational and living issues of multicultural families are being addressed as local policy agendas.
Source: Local media reports.
URL: https://www.xn--3e0bx5e0sbx9qba378ifzhyiursi7oc.com/bbs/board.php?bo_table=news&wr_id=4757

 

④ Regional Immigrant Acceptance and Policy Gaps:
Case studies from some regions, including Yeongam County, have reported that immigrant acceptance levels and policy responses vary across regions. This suggests that the perception of multicultural policies can vary depending on local government ordinances, budgets, and administrative capabilities.
Source: Korea JoongAng Daily
URL: https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2026-01-19/national/socialAffairs/Acceptance-versus-resentment-Two-immigrant-areas-in-Korea-tell-contrasting-tales/2501105

 

⑤ Expansion of regional pilot programs tailored to families with migrant backgrounds.
The government announced that it will pilot a customized support program for families with migrant backgrounds in some local governments. This demonstrates that local governments are taking on the role of designing and implementing multicultural policies tailored to their local circumstances.
Source: Asia Economy
URL: https://www.asiae.co.kr/article/2026012710375625494

1. The Need for Election Information Communication for Immigrant Residents

Closing the election information access gap

 

Ahead of the 2026 local elections, most election-related information is circulated in Korean, focusing on news and political issues. Consequently, immigrant-background voters and multicultural families face difficulties in fully understanding the election system and policy environment due to language barriers and limited access to information . This is not a problem specific to a specific group, but rather  a structural issue where voters' right to know is constrained by language and information environments .
Since local elections determine local policies on education, welfare, housing, and safety, a  public communication system that ensures immigrant-background voters access to fact-based election information is essential.

2. Local elections and voting rights of residents with immigrant backgrounds

Legal status of voting rights

In South Korea's local elections, foreign residents who meet certain requirements are granted voting rights . This is a characteristic of local autonomy, a system designed to prioritize membership in a local community
rather than nationality. The National Election Commission officially provides guidance on the requirements and scope of foreign voting rights in local elections, and the system operates under the law .

For migrants, the right to vote is not simply a means of participation, but  also serves as a starting point for understanding and receiving explanations on how local administration and lifestyle policies are decided .

3-1. Key Policy Areas - Education and School Adaptation

※ The policy areas listed below are core local election policy areas directly related to the lives of multicultural families. They are not intended as criteria for evaluating a specific candidate's pledges, but rather as reference information for understanding the areas of daily life administration for which local governments bear responsibility for explanation.

 

Understanding from the perspective of a potential candidate

다문화가족 자녀 문제는 “교육 격차” 이전에 학교 적응과 언어 지원의 문제로 제기된다. 최근 교육부·교육청 자료와 언론 보도에서는 다문화 학생 수 증가와 함께

  • 한국어 미숙으로 인한 수업 이해도 저하
  • 보호자와 학교 간 소통 부족
  • 지역별 지원 격차
    가 반복적으로 언급되고 있다.

지방자치단체는 교육청과의 협력 주체로서, 돌봄·방과후·기초학습 지원을 보완하는 역할을 맡는다.

공약 설계 시 핵심 포인트

  • “성적 향상”이 아닌 학교 적응 지원 중심
  • 교육청 소관 vs 지자체 소관 구분 명확화
  • 지역 내 다문화 학생 규모에 따른 맞춤형 지원 설명

근거

3-2. 돌봄·가족 지원

맞벌이·한부모 다문화가족 증가로 인해 돌봄 공백이 중요한 생활 이슈로 부각되고 있다. 아이돌봄서비스, 가족센터 연계 사업은 지자체가 직접 책임지는 정책 영역이다.

최근 보도에서는

  • 돌봄 서비스 접근성
  • 이용 절차의 복잡성
  • 언어 지원 부족이 문제로 지적된다.

공약 설계 시 핵심 포인트

  • “신규 제도”보다 기존 제도의 접근성 개선
  • 가족센터·아이돌봄 서비스 연계 구조 설명
  • 긴급 돌봄·야간 돌봄 등 현실적 상황 반영

근거

3-3. 취업·직업훈련 (결혼이민자 중심)

다문화가족 정책에서 취업 문제는 복지가 아닌 자립 정책으로 다뤄지고 있다.
특히 결혼이민자의 경우

  • 경력 단절
  • 자격·학력 인정 문제
  • 지역 일자리 정보 접근성이 반복적으로 제기된다.

지방정부는 직업훈련, 공공일자리, 사회적기업 연계 등 현장 연결 역할을 수행한다.

공약 설계 시 핵심 포인트

  • “일자리 수”보다 연계 구조(훈련→취업) 설명
  • 여성·돌봄 병행 가능 직종 고려
  • 지역 산업과의 연결 가능성 제시

근거

3-4. 의료·보건 접근

의료 접근 문제는 비용보다 의사소통과 정보 부족이 핵심이다. 일부 지자체에서는 의료 통역, 보건소 연계 사업을 운영하고 있으며, 이는 지방정부의 보건 행정 역량과 직결된다.

공약 설계 시 핵심 포인트

  • 병원 “확충”이 아니라 의료 이용 접근성 개선
  • 보건소·통역·출산·영유아 서비스 연결 설명
  • 임신·출산·예방접종 등 생활 밀착 영역 강조

근거

3-5. 행정 서비스·통번역

행정 서비스 접근성은 다문화가족에게 정책 체감도를 좌우하는 핵심 요소다.
최근 보도에서는

  • 민원 절차 이해 어려움
  • 계약·복지 신청 시 통역 부족
    이 반복적으로 언급된다.

이는 지방정부의 행정 소통 역량 문제로 인식되고 있다.

공약 설계 시 핵심 포인트

  • “다국어 홍보”가 아닌 민원·생활 행정 통번역
  • 온라인·오프라인 병행 구조 설명
  • 특정 언어가 아닌 다언어 체계 강조

근거

3-6. 지역별 다문화 정책 격차

다문화 정책은 중앙정부 가이드라인은 있으나, 실제 수준은 지자체 재량에 크게 좌우된다.
일부 지자체는 적극적인 예산·조례를 통해 정책을 확장하고 있으며,
다른 지역과의 체감 격차가 언론을 통해 확인된다.

공약 설계 시 핵심 포인트

  • 타 지역 “비교·비판”이 아닌 지역 현실 설명
  • 현재 수준 → 개선 방향의 단계적 제시
  • 조례·예산·조직 중 어디를 바꾸는지 명확화

근거

3-7. 규모·분포에 따른 정책 필요성

행정안전부 통계에 따르면 외국인 주민과 다문화가족은 특정 지역에 집중되어 있다. 이는 다문화 정책이 일부 지역에서는 선택이 아닌 필수 행정 영역임을 의미한다.

공약 설계 시 핵심 포인트

  • “미래 대비”가 아닌 현재 행정 수요 설명
  • Explaining the necessity of policies using statistical figures
  • Awareness of administrative responsibility in response to changes in the population composition

reason

4. The Meaning of Voting Rights for Immigrant Residents

Voting as a right

For migrant background residents, the right to vote in local elections is more like the right to understand and receive explanations of administrative and living policies before making a political choice .
The right to vote is

  • The right to know how local policies are decided
  • Institutional basis for recognizing citizens as rights holders rather than mere beneficiaries of administrative services

  • It is a means of clarifying one 's legal and institutional position as a member of the community .
5. Conclusion. Public Communication Principles to Be Observed by Candidates

Public Information Communication Principles

Communication with immigrant background residents during elections should be approached in the realm of providing public information, not election campaigning .

  1. Focus on explaining systems and policies rather than appealing for support.
    • It's not a message about who to elect, but rather
      an explanation of what local governments can do.
  2. Controversial issues are conveyed only as facts.
    • Issues such as foreign voting rights are clearly explained within the scope of laws and systems.
    • Excluding evaluation, pros and cons, and political interpretation
  3. Language use centered on life policy

    • Focus on explaining policies related to real-life issues such as education, care, healthcare, and access to administration.
  4. Compliance with multilingual and plain language principles
    • 1 sentence 1 meaning
    • Minimize political jargon
    • Use public language that everyone can understand

This approach is not a special privilege for a particular group, but rather  corresponds to the basic principles of public communication to maintain local elections as a democratic process understandable to all local members .
 

 

'26 Local Elections | Data-Driven Governance for a Hundred Years
https://poll.ai.kr/