Civic Participation Experiences of Migrants in South Korea: Focusing on the COVID-19 Response Activities of Gwangsan District’s Honorary Community Leaders for Foreign Residents

This study aims to examine the direct experiences of civic participation among immigrants through the COVID-19 response activities carried out by honorary community leaders representing foreign residents. It also seeks to explore the significance of these experiences. To achieve this goal, Focus Group Interviews(FGIs) and individual interviews were conducted with the Foreign Resident Honorary Community Leaders in Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City—where the system was first introduced among local governments nationwide—as well as with relevant district office officials. The main findings of this study can be summarized as follows. First, as the COVID-19 pandemic began, the Foreign Resident Honorary Community Leaders in Gwangsan-gu took part in the multilingual interpretation team and were responsible for tasks such as one-on-one monitoring of individuals in self-quarantine, providing interpretation and translation support, and conducting campaigns to distribute public health guidelines. In addition, the Foreign Resident Honorary Community Leaders carried out a variety of activities aimed at supporting the central and local governments’ efforts to prevent and curb the spread of COVID-19. Second, during the COVID-19 response activities, the Foreign Resident Honorary Community Leaders in Gwangsan-gu served as a bridge between administrative agencies and foreign residents. Through this role, they experienced opportunities for learning and personal growth, and although the process was challenging, the strong support they received from their family members allowed them to feel a sense of satisfaction in fulfilling their responsibilities as honorary community leaders. Third, in the midst of an unprecedented national crisis that had never before been experienced, the Foreign Resident Honorary Community Leaders in Gwangsan-gu directly participated in activities to help the community overcome the situation. Through this engagement, they were able to redefine the status and role of the honorary community leader. Fourth, through their direct participation in COVID-19 response activities, the Foreign Resident Honorary Community Leaders in Gwangsan-gu need to further strengthen their competencies and expertise as representatives of migrant residents, and make continued efforts to expand their civic participation activities. Lastly, since this study examined the case of the Foreign Resident Honorary Community Leaders in Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City, there are inherent limitations in fully grasping the overall experiences of civic participation among honorary community leaders representing foreign residents. Therefore, future research should conduct comparative analyses of cases from other local governments that are operating similar Foreign Resident (Multicultural) Honorary Community Leader systems.