Anchor: One of the challenges foreign immigrants face in their settling in Korea would be homesickness. KBS and Gangwon Province are out to support the installation of satellite receivers at homes of multicultural families so they can watch TV programs of their home countries.
Our Kim Soyon has more.

Report: Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) and Gangwon Province are installing satellite antennas for multicultural families. 

The South Korean public broadcaster and the provincial authority signed a memorandum of understanding earlier this week to help the expatriates enjoy their home country broadcasts in Korea.

KBS and the province aim to first install the devices for 126 households out of the total 62-hundred multicultural families within the province this year. The provincial government and city and county authorities will support 80 percent of the installation cost.

Gangwon is home to a particularly high percentage of newly naturalized citizens who married Korean spouses. Such marriage-based immigrants and their children account for over 50 percent of all foreigners residing in the province. 

The number of registered residents aged 18 or younger in South Korea has been falling since 2007 while the children in multicultural households are on the rise.

As the influx contributes to population growth, experts call for adequate policy measures and changes in social perception.

The native language broadcasts are expected to help the immigrants ease their loneliness and better settle into their lives in Korea.

The province is also focused on other projects for multicultural families including fostering a dual linguistic environment to raise multicultural children as global leaders as well as training immigrant women as foreign language teachers. 
Kim Soyon, KBS World Radio News.