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Contact Name
Arie Kusuma Paksi
Contact Email
jumahi@umy.ac.id
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+6282316531456
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jumahi@umy.ac.id
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Ki Bagus Hadikusumo Building, E4, 1st floor, Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta, Jl. Brawijaya, Tamantirto, Kasihan, Bantul, Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta, 55183, Indonesia
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Daerah istimewa yogyakarta
INDONESIA
Journal of Paradiplomacy and City Networks
ISSN : 28305922     EISSN : 28305914     DOI : https://doi.org/10.18196/jpcn
Core Subject : Social,
The core of the journal focuses on Paradiplomacy and City Networks which revolves around international cooperation by the regional government, and actorness such as mayors, local legislators, governors, and other sub-national elected officials who have traditionally engaged in international activities for their trade promotion, investment, and economic development through city-to-city exchanges, business study groups, international exchange and capacity building for local bureaucrats, youth exchanges for the benefit of their local communities. Paradiplomacy activities may also include international organizations as interlocutors of the policy processes propelled by local public action. But unlike other data sources, the Journal of Paradiplomacy and City Networks ensures that unbiased and uninfluenced research is promoted with a vision to contribute to the peace and stability of the international society. We believe that the blatant truth about covert agendas of politics is the only hindrance to sustainable growth. Therefore, our focus remains on the publication of field-based knowledge to uproot the critical problems.
Articles 51 Documents
South Korean Cities as Norm-Bearing Actors in Migrant Protection: A Paradiplomatic Analysis of Sub-National Cooperation with Indonesia Fachrurreza, Ahmad Mujaddid; Khofifah, Aprilia Erinda Sinta; Nugroho, Dimas Adi
Journal of Paradiplomacy and City Networks Vol. 5 No. 1: June 2026
Publisher : Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta

Show Abstract | Download Original | Original Source | Check in Google Scholar | DOI: 10.18196/jpcn.v5i1.140

Abstract

Despite the growing body of literature on paradiplomacy, its normative dimensions, particularly the role of cities in shaping migrant protection norms, remain underexplored. This article examines how South Korean cities with significant Indonesian migrant populations, specifically Ansan, Busan, and Incheon, function as norm-bearing actors within global migration governance. It explores how sub-national cooperation with Indonesian local governments facilitates the localization and institutionalization of migrant protection norms beyond conventional state-centric frameworks. Grounded in constructivist international relations theory, the study integrates Finnemore and Sikkink’s (1998) norm life cycle model with Acharya’s (2004) norm localization framework to analyze how global human rights-based migration norms are interpreted, adapted, and embedded in local governance practices. Employing a qualitative case study approach, the research draws on policy documents, municipal government reports, migrant support center publications, and secondary institutional sources from both Indonesia and South Korea. The findings identify three interrelated dimensions of city-level norm enactment. First, cities frame migrants as rights-bearing residents rather than temporary laborers. Second, they establish localized support infrastructures, including multilingual counseling services, migrant healthcare programs, and community-based welfare initiatives. Third, they participate in transnational policy learning and inter-city cooperation to strengthen migrant protection. These practices demonstrate how cities exercise norm-bearing agency by translating international migration norms into practical local governance despite their limited formal authority. Nevertheless, their capacity to influence migration governance remains constrained by South Korea’s centralized migration regime, particularly in matters of labor recruitment, visa regulation, and bilateral migration agreements. The article argues that South Korean cities constitute a distinct layer of sub-national normative governance that complements, mediates, and, in selected policy domains, extends national migration frameworks. By repositioning city diplomacy as a mechanism of normative governance rather than merely economic or cultural cooperation, this study contributes to paradiplomacy literature while highlighting the growing importance of sub-national actors in advancing rights-based approaches to migrant protection within multi-level migration governance.