Ethnic Variations in Factors Contributing to the Life Satisfaction of Migrant Wives in South Korea

Using data from the 2009 National Survey on Multicultural Families, we examined the factors associated with the level of life satisfaction among migrant wives in South Korea. Separate analyses were conducted for the four major ethnic and national groups of migrant wives in Korea: Chosun-jok (Korean Chinese), Han Chinese, Vietnamese, and Filipinas. Overall, migrant wives' life satisfaction was significantly associated with health, Korean proficiency, relationship satisfaction with the husband, family material hardship, and family social status change regardless of ethnicity or nationality. Age, education, years in the current marriage, number of children, meeting with friends from the home country, community meetings, use of education and support services, discrimination, and Korean citizenship, however, were related to life satisfaction in different ways depending on ethnicity or nationality.