This article investigates the changes in South Koreans’ acceptance towards multiculturalism and acceptance towards North Korean defectors during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea and potential factors affecting the changes. Individual-level survey data conducted in 2018–2020 were used to compare pre- and post-COVID-19 period. The results demonstrate that the regions with severe local outbreaks during the early COVID-19 pandemic experienced increased hostile attitudes towards multiculturalism and increased discriminatory preference. On the other hand, the pandemic did not affect attitudes towards North Korean defectors. The change may be associated with fear of infection as interaction effects between vulnerability and affected regions after the pandemic were statistically significant. This finding suggests that efforts to disassociate infectious diseases and foreign migrants can mitigate increased hostility towards multiculturalism and foreigners.
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