On the Issue of Ethnic Identity of Children in Multicultural Families in South Korea (Using the Example of Russian-Speaking Female Migrants)

In the context of globalization and the growing number of international marriages in South Korea, a new social category has emerged—children from multicultural families. While academic interest in this subject is increasing, children of Russian-speaking migrant mothers from the CIS countries remain understudied. This study aims to explore the construction of ethnic identity among these children. The empirical basis includes fieldwork conducted by the author in Seoul and other regions of South Korea in 2013 (questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with Russian-speaking mothers and their children) as well as a planned follow-up study in 2025. The theoretical framework draws on Social Identity Theory (Tajfel), Berry’s model of acculturation, and transnational approaches that conceptualize identity as hybrid and fluid. The article formulates hypotheses concerning the dynamics of ethnic identity: children raised in Russian-speaking families are expected to experience a tension between the dominant ideology of monoethnicity in Korean society and the cultural heritage of their families. At the same time, they demonstrate strategies of hybridization, cultural choice, and symbolic self-construction. The novelty of this research lies in its focus on a rarely studied group—Russian-speaking families in South Korea—and in the application of a longitudinal approach. The findings are expected to provide deeper insights into the integration processes of multicultural children in South Korea and to contribute to the development of inclusive educational and social policies. Acknowledgment: This article was prepared as part of a research project at the Kyujanggak Institute for Korean Studies, Seoul National University, with financial support from Fellowship Grant of the Korea Foundation 2025-FFR-INV-1881