The Development of Korea s Immigration Policies:

Ths article attempts 10 trace and critically review the development of immigration pÎdes in Korea since the early 1990s Intemational migration as a global and universal phenomenon has challenged nation ales， and theories of immigratioll Pκy seek ‘o idenl and explain facto rs affecting the choices made by states in this regard. However, tWQ dominanl theories, the pitical -economy and nec• institutionalist approaches, both which emphasize economic interests and 1iberal principles, respectively, fai l 10 provide a satisfactory explanation of the complex process of imm’gration po1icymal‘ing when il comes 10 other factors including security and ethno-cultural diversity Therefore, this artic1e adopls the theory of the functional imperahv the ale， as suesled by Christîna Boswell, focusing ncuty， accumulation, faÎmess, and Înstitutîonal legÎtÎmacy În order to examine the complexity of imm’gration policymakÎng. Adopling Boswell’s theorelical framework, this artide explores what fun ctions of the sta le-embedded immigration polides have been emphasÎzed by each admÎnÎStration s in the early 1990s. This artÎc\e also seeks 10 examine whether there have en changes in the immigration p이 icy under the αrrente Myung-bak administration and, if 50, in what areas the cur. renl govemment s polÎCY Îs distinguished from the policies of the two previous adminìstrations