MARRIAGE AND MIGRATION: A CASE STUDY OF UZBEK WOMEN IN SOUTH KOREA

Marriage migration has become one of the most feminized and socially structured forms of international mobility in East Asia, with South Korea providing a particularly illustrative example. This article examines marital migration through the lives of Uzbek women, situating their migration trajectories in the context of widespread demographic decline, rural unmarried life, gender imbalances, and state-regulated migration regimes in South Korea.

Drawing exclusively on official migration statistics, survey data, and qualitative fieldwork interviews, the study demonstrates that marital migration is not simply a private or emotional choice, but a rational, family-oriented, and strategic response to structural inequalities between countries of origin and destination. Empirical evidence reveals that women act as key agents of cultural transmission, social reproduction, and integration into transnational families, while simultaneously facing legal dependence, language barriers, and patriarchal family norms. By integrating gender theory, family migration theory, and transnational perspectives, this article contributes to a deeper understanding of feminized migration and highlights the role of marriage migration in shaping demographic resilience, multicultural governance, and social cohesion in contemporary South Korea.