사할린동포의 세대별 귀환동기와 지원정책 방향 = Return Motivations across Generations of Sakhalin Koreans and Directions for Support Policy

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

As part of the 2025 Survey on Sakhalin Koreans Returning for Permanent Residence, this study applies qualitative research methods to conduct an in-depth analysis of the generational return motivations and settlement issues of Sakhalin Koreans. The analysis reveals that motivations for return are distinctly differentiated by generation. For the first generation, return signifies the healing of historical trauma and the restoration of rightful privileges, whereas for the second generation, it is predominantly a sacrificial choice entailing the simultaneous responsibilities of supporting elderly parents and securing the future of their children. In contrast, the return of the third generation exhibits the characteristics of a more functional migration, driven by the desire to evade geopolitical instability and to expand educational and employment opportunities. Meanwhile, during the settlement process of the second and third generations, complex barriers were identified, including legal blind spots, language barriers, constraints on capital conversion due to the non-recognition of academic degrees and professional experiences, and the welfare trap. This demonstrates that the settlement of subsequent generations is not merely a matter of daily adaptation, but a structural challenge where legal status, economic activity, and social integration intersect. Therefore, support policies for Sakhalin Koreans need to be refined into a customized system that reflects these generational differences. It is advisable to strengthen welfare policies that guarantee a dignified later life for the first generation, and settlement policies that promote the self-reliance and social participation of the second and third generations.