Fostering Inclusivity: The Impact of Social Justice Orientation on Attitudes Toward Immigrants in South Korea

Abstract Although social justice orientation is key to fostering inclusiveness in countries with long histories of immigration, few studies have empirically investigated its impact on attitudes toward immigrants in South Korea (hereafter Korea), an emerging multicultural society. This study examined the relationship between Korean students’ social justice orientation and their attitudes toward immigrants, and whether this relationship varied based on social backgrounds, including gender, parental education, and family income. With the sample of 2,351 students from 78 schools, drawn from the Korean Children and Youth Panel Survey, and using hierarchical linear modeling the study found that a strong social justice orientation predicts positive attitudes toward immigrants. This impact is moderated by social background, with a stronger effect among less-privileged students compared to their more-privileged counterparts. These findings indicate that increasing social justice awareness among native Korean students could enhance intercultural relations and highlight the need for policy and curriculum reform, as well as the leadership role of the less-privileged students in intercultural relations.