Foreword (June 2025, Health and Welfare Policy Forum)

Abstract

Korea has seen a steady increase in the number of marriage immigrant women since 2000. In 2023, a total of 140,369 such migrants, primarily from countries like Vietnam and China, were living in Korea as members of families and work communities. Migration from one country to another tends to affect the health of individuals in various ways. In adapting to their new environments, migrants face multiple challenges. Marriage immigrant women warrant still more attention, as many of them, after their migration, experience pregnancy and childbirth and the attendant health issues from which it is difficult for them to recover due to a lack of communication proficiency and limited knowledge of how the Korean health system works. In the June issue of the Health and Welfare Forum, we focus on the ‘Health of Marriage Immigrant Women.’ Using data from a national survey conducted last year on marriage immigrant women, the contributed articles explore the characteristics and vulnerabilities of these women and attempt to assess their health in terms of self-rated health levels, mental health, and health management. Along with this, their health status is also examined in light of such health-affecting factors as socioeconomic status and health literacy. In this context, readers may want to take extra caution when examining cases where incident counts are fewer than 10. We hope that the analyses presented here will serve as a first step toward understanding the health of diverse population groups in our increasingly globalized society.