The laws are expected to contain measures offering foreigners legal support against discrimination based on their skin color, ethnicity and language, while companies violating the human rights of foreign employees will be required to reform.

Many cities, counties and districts have created laws designed to help foreigners adjust to life in Korea, but Ansan is the first to come up with regulations aiming to protect foreigners’ human rights, whether they are working here legally or not.

Around 35,000 foreigners from 58 countries live in Ansan, a number which rises to 60,000 - 70,000 if we include illegal residents. Industrial zones in Banwol and Shiwha have become homes to the largest concentration of foreigners in Korea. As many as half of the 22,000 residents of Wongokdong, a city neighborhood, are foreigners. Until now, Ansan city has been offering free medical care and legal counseling for foreigners, but it has decided to provide more active legislative support.

In August of last year, the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination recommended Korea rectify discrimination against foreigners. Over a million foreigners now reside in Korea, while the number of foreigners married to Korean nationals has also surged. But many foreign laborers and illegal immigrants still fall through the cracks of the country’s human rights safety net.

Findings show that over half of all foreign laborers have experienced back pay and other employment abuses. The rate of accidents at work involving foreign laborers is five times higher than for Koreans. Last year, the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea requested the Korean government abolish 12 regulations that were discriminatory against foreign workers, including the inability of foreigners to receive certificates recognizing physical disabilities.

Now we must not only view foreigners as needing protection, but as valid residents. Foreigners living in various neighborhoods in Korea are valuable assets for the country in this global era. Cities that host foreigners experience a rich mix of tradition broadened by diverse cultural customs from elsewhere. Imagine a city hosting restaurants from all over the world where residents can enjoy the customs of different countries throughout the year.

We must pay attention to and offer support for Ansan so that it may become a truly multicultural city and a must-see Korean tourist destination.