Gyeonggi Plan to Abolish Immigration Bureau Draws Policy Backlash

Gyeonggi Province’s plan to abolish its dedicated Immigrant Society Bureau is drawing opposition from civic groups and policy experts, who warn that the restructuring could weaken support for the region’s large and growing migrant population.

The bureau is one of five that would be eliminated under a reorganization plan announced Wednesday as Gov. Choo Mi-ae seeks to reduce provincial spending. Its responsibilities would be transferred to a broader bureau responsible for gender equality and family policy. The change would remove the bureau’s standalone status and its dedicated senior-level position for immigrant affairs.

The restructuring is scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1 if it receives approval from the Gyeonggi Provincial Council. The proposal therefore remains subject to legislative review at the provincial level.

Established in July 2024, the Immigrant Society Bureau was the first local government bureau in South Korea created specifically to support foreign residents and promote immigrant integration. Its remit includes policies affecting marriage migrants, foreign workers, international students and naturalized Korean citizens.

The debate carries national significance because Gyeonggi has the country’s largest foreign-resident population. Interior Ministry data for 2024 showed that about 845,000 foreign residents lived in the province, compared with roughly 451,000 in Seoul. Foreign residents accounted for 6.1 percent of Gyeonggi’s population, the second-highest provincial share after South Chungcheong Province. The government’s definition includes foreign nationals, naturalized citizens and children born in Korea to foreign residents.

Critics argue that folding immigrant affairs into a larger administrative unit could reduce the visibility of migrant issues and make coordination with central and local authorities more difficult. The Gyeonggi branch of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions said the move could leave migrant workers’ lives and rights in an administrative blind spot.

Experts also warned that the change could disrupt cooperation developed among the provincial government, council members, civic organizations and academics. They said existing immigration and multicultural programs could be reduced or discontinued if the dedicated structure disappears.

The proposal is part of a broader cost-cutting drive pursued by Choo since taking office on July 1. She declared a fiscal emergency in August and criticized spending under the previous provincial administration as excessive. The council’s review will now test whether budget savings outweigh concerns about maintaining specialized migrant services in the province with Korea’s largest foreign-resident community.