Inha University holds seminar on repatriation policy at National Assembly

The Inha University Institute of International Relations, in collaboration with Cordia, held a seminar at the National Assembly to discuss policy improvements regarding the nationality and residency of repatriated Koreans. As the number of overseas Koreans residing in South Korea reaches one million, the seminar addressed critical institutional issues including nationality acquisition and recovery, dual citizenship, residency status, and family relationship registration.

Discussions focused on the specific challenges faced by various groups, such as ethnic Koreans from China and those from the Sakhalin and former Soviet regions. Participants, including legal experts, government officials, and representatives from the Korean diaspora, emphasized the need to expand overseas Korean policies beyond supporting citizens abroad to include the settlement and social integration of repatriated Koreans within South Korea.

Lee Jin-young, director of the Inha University Institute of International Relations, noted that while nationality issues for these groups have often been treated as a “minority issue of minorities,” their rights and the legitimacy of the systems affecting them remain vital. The institute plans to expand its research scope to include the nationality, status, and settlement of repatriated Koreans alongside traditional consular protection services.