The Impact of Digital Platforms on the Social Integration of Foreigners in Korea: User Perceptions, Barriers, and Inclusion

초록

This study examines the impact of digital platforms on the social integration of foreign residents in South Korea, with a focus on user perception, barriers, and inclusivity. Given the high level of digitalization in Korean society, digital services play a key role in providing access to everyday services, information, and communication, making them an important tool for migrants’ adaptation. However, despite the widespread use of digital technologies, their impact on deeper social integration remains ambiguous. The study employs a qualitative interpretive approach based on semi-structured interviews with 20 foreign residents, predominantly Russian-speaking migrants from Central Asia and the post-Soviet space. Data analysis was conducted using Gioia methodology, which allowed for the identification of key themes reflecting users’ experiences. The results show that digital platforms primarily facilitate functional integration by making it easier to perform everyday tasks such as communication, housing search, and access to public services. However, their contribution to fostering a sense of belonging to Korean society remains limited. The main barriers are the complexity of interfaces, insufficient multilingual support, procedural identification requirements, and culturally conditioned features of platform design. Individual adaptation strategies and informal support networks play an important role in overcoming these difficulties. The study proposes a conceptual model that views the user experience as a dynamic process of interaction between platform-related factors and user characteristics. The findings underscore the need to develop more inclusive digital solutions that account for user diversity, as well as the importance of involving migrants themselves in the design process of digital services.

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