Determinants of Satisfaction with Life among Foreign Wives in Kyunggido

Abstract

This paper empirically analyzes the determinants of satisfaction with life of foreign wives living in Kyunggido, South Korea. The integration of foreign brides into Korean society continues to attract considerable attention of the media, policymakers, and scholars, but relatively little research has been done on the systematic determinants of satisfaction with life among foreign wives. This article attempts to address this question by exploring foreign wives survey data of 2007. Using ordered Logit model, I analyze the systematic determinants of foreign brides’ life satisfaction. It is hypothetically expected that post migration challenges negatively affect life satisfaction of foreign wives and successful post migration cultural integration positively affects happiness of foreign brides. Foreign wives who experience language barrier are less likely to feel satisfied with their life, whereas those who enjoy support system and those who understand Korean culture are more likely to feel satisfied. Perceived economic wellbeing might also reduce immigration-related difficulties influencing life satisfaction of foreign wives. The finding shows that the presence of support system in the process of adaptation facilitates the effective integration of foreign wives thus positively affecting life satisfaction. Interestingly, this research demonstrates that satisfaction with life among foreign brides is not deeply connected to post migration difficulties such as language barriers and the lack of cultural understanding. Economic factors such as financial stress, perceived economic condition, and the ability to send money back to families in home countries are more likely to affect life satisfaction of foreign brides. Demographic variables except health condition marginally affect the satisfaction of foreign wives.