Korean adoptees and citizenship

Korean soldiers at the DMZ. © Cheese Curds & Kimchi.

An interesting story on Korean adoptees applying for dual citizenship. A revision in the Nationality Law in 2011 now allows adoptees to regain their citizenship, but does bring about it's own set of questions and concerns.

Prior to the revision in the law, Korea did not allow dual citizenship after the age of 21. So adoptees would have to choose between citizenship in their adoptive country or Korea. In addition, men over the age of 18 had to serve a mandatory military service, so if an adopted man chose to maintain a Korean citizenship, he had to serve in the military. There are conflicting Korean laws though, which make it possible for a male, born in Korea but not raised there, to be held and drafted into the military. This new Nationality Law revision seems to address that concern for male adoptees. (See this post by Ask A Korean for more information on the drafting issue.)

It sounds like the new rule will make allowances for male adoptees due to language barriers and figure out some other alternative military service (although they will still have to perform some sort of service by the sound of it).

Anyway, a great option for our kids to be able to connect with their birth culture.

For more information, G'OAL has an e-book for sale HERE.