Multicultural acceptance levels among Korean adults has increased for the first time in nine years, but has dropped among teens, according to the results of a recent survey released Thursday.

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family's "2024 National Multicultural Acceptance Survey” showed the score for adults' was 53-point-38 points, one-point-11 points higher than the previous survey in 2021.

The acceptance score among adults had been on a decline after hitting a high of 53-point-92 in 2015. On the other hand, the score among adolescents fell one-point-62 points to 69-point-77.

Lee Jae-woong, the head of the ministry’s multicultural family division, said adults have had increased exposure to the international community following the COVID-19 pandemic while multicultural education and activities have normalized.

However, the official explained acceptance levels dropped slightly among teens, apparently due in part to their exposure to reverse discrimination debates and related negative content on the Internet.
 
The survey found the more frequent exchanges people had with migrants, foreigners, and friends from multicultural families, the higher the acceptance levels. 

This survey, first conducted in 2012, is done every three years, targeting six-thousand adults and five-thousand teenagers from across the country, to gauge the status of multicultural awareness in society.