South Korean Nationality Law - Naturalization

Naturalization

There are three types of naturalization under South Korean law:

1. General naturalization

   An applicant:

   • Must have had domicile in the Republic of Korea for more than five consecutive years.
   • Must be a legal adult (over 20 years of age).
   • Must be of good conduct.
   • Must have the ability to maintain a living on his/her own assets or skills, or be a dependent member of a family capable of such.
   • Must have basic knowledge befitting a Korean national, such as an understanding of the Korean language, customs, and culture.

2. Simple naturalization

   An applicant:

   • Must be legally adult (over 20 years of age).
   • Must be of good conduct.
   • Must have the ability to maintain a living based on their own assets or skills, or be a dependent member of a family capable of such.
   • Must have basic knowledge befitting a Korean national, such as an understanding of the Korean language, customs, and culture.
   • Must have had domicile in the Republic of Korea for more than three consecutive years.
   • Be either:
     • Those whose either parent have been a Korean national in the past, but have since abandoned it for a foreign nationality.
     • Born in Korea, whose either parent was also born in Korea.
     • Adopted children of a Korean national, who was of a legal adult age according to Korean Civil Law at the time of adoption.
     • Foreign spouse of a Korean national who either for the past two or more consecutive years, maintained marriage status with the spouse and kept residence in Korea, or for the past three or more consecutive years, maintained marriage status and have spent more than one year in Korea.

3. Special Naturalization

   There are many forms of special naturalization, with different requirements. However, the basic requirements are:

   • Must be of good conduct.
   • Must have basic knowledge befitting a Korean national, such as an understanding of the Korean language, customs, and culture.
   • Foreigners with at at least one parent of Korean nationality, except foster children who were adopted after they have become adults according to Korean civil law.

Those who acquire Korean nationality by naturalization normally must give up foreign nationality within six months or forfeit Korean nationality. An exception to this is draft-age males, who must complete or be exempted from military service before being allowed to forfeit Korean nationality.

Former Korean nationals can reacquire Korean nationality by applying for reacquistion of nationality. However, this will reinstate the military service duty, if applicable to the national, and also requires forfeiting any foreign nationality within 6 months.