Children from international families in South Korea may lose citizenship due to legal provision
In South Korea, people from international families are finding out that they may not have Korean citizenship, even though they were born or grew up in the country. The reason is a provision of the nationality law: under certain circumstances, a South Korean citizen who voluntarily acquires another citizenship after birth loses Korean citizenship. This may also apply to children whose foreign citizenship is arranged by their parents.
As Channel NewsAsia reports, a 21-year-old resident of Suwon learned about a possible problem with his status after his parents obtained Russian citizenship for him when he was two years old. The man studied and lived only in South Korea and also fulfilled his military duty. He has not yet confirmed his legal status and fears losing his job while helping pay for his ill father's treatment.
Families were ordered to leave
The father of two children born in South Korea in a marriage to an Australian citizen said the family had long believed that the children were citizens of both countries. In 2023, he contacted an immigration office in Busan to clarify their status. According to him, officials issued departure orders because the children were no longer considered South Korean citizens.
The family also received demands to repay around 15 million won, or approximately $11,000, received as childcare subsidies and health insurance benefits. The wife and children left the country and returned a few days later on Australian passports as foreigners to begin the process of restoring Korean citizenship.
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Conflicting explanations and legal changes
Some parents said they had sought official consultations but received contradictory answers. One parent in Ansan provided a recording of a call to the Immigration Contact Center, where he was told that a child who has two citizenships from birth can retain both. Later, the Ministry of Justice's nationality division explained to him that Article 15 of the law provides for the loss of Korean citizenship from the moment another citizenship is acquired.
South Korea's Ministry of Justice is preparing amendments that would allow minor children from international marriages to retain multiple citizenships in cases similar to those in which dual citizenship existed from birth. A mechanism is also being considered for people who have already lost Korean citizenship: if they restore it within a specified period after the changes take effect, they will be able to retain dual citizenship.
In 2024, 13,416 children were born into multicultural families in South Korea, 10.4% more than a year earlier. This accounted for 5.6% of all newborns in the country. At the same time, the Ministry of Data and Statistics reported that cases of loss of Korean citizenship after parents arrange foreign citizenship are not counted separately and are not subject to separate administration.
