Us Versus Them? How Nationalism and Partisanship Influence Sentiment Toward Different Foreigner Groups in South Korea

Multiculturalism functions under the premise that a society will accept foreigners and help them integrate into the host community, yet negative attitudes toward foreigners persist in South Korea. This study explores how nationalism influences attitudes toward different foreigner groups, comparing foreign workers and marriage migrants with coethnic groups such as Korean Chinese and North Korean defectors. Using an original survey, our findings indicate that people with stronger ethnic nationalism and progressive political ideologies are more likely to favor coethnic foreigners, but these factors are less influential in support for the general foreigner population. Notably, higher levels of ethnic nationalism negatively affect attitudes toward foreign workers and marriage migrants more among progressives than conservatives. The results challenge existing literature and suggest a need for further research into how nationalism shapes attitudes toward different foreigner groups, offering insights that could support South Korea’s progress toward a more inclusive and successful multicultural society.