Flexible Yet Inflexible: Development of Dual Citizenship in South Korea

Abstract

The National Assembly of the Republic of Korea (South Korea) voted in favor of allowing dual citizenship (156 in favor, 19 against, and 17 abstentions) in April 2010. Using South Korea as a case study, I make one methodological and one substantive argument regarding official acknowledgment of dual citizenship. First, de jure acknowledgment of dual citizenship will be likely to exhibit a path-dependent progression, from zero tolerance, to mere tolerance, and to official acknowledgment. Therefore, I argue that a study of dual citizenship needs to take into account various legislative changes that are indicative of increasing tolerance toward dual citizenship. Substantively I argue that introduction of de jure dual citizenship in South Korea indicates officialization of the strategy of flexible citizenship employed both by upper-class South Koreans and by the South Korean government. For upper-class South Koreans, dual citizenship has become a strategy to pass their class privilege on to their children while, for the South Korean government, dual citizenship has become a strategy to attract resource-rich overseas Koreans and global talent.

Running for Korea: Rethinking of sport migration and in/flexible citizenship

“…During Lee Myung-bak’s Presidency (2008–2013), the Ministry of Justice announced it had amended the Nationality Law to attract and retain global talent that could contribute to national development and interests (Kim, 2013b). Under the revised law, since 2011, the Korean government has been conferring citizenship on skilled individuals, including those in science, economy, art, and sport.…”

“… 4. Citizenship is a complex and multidimensional concept that varies according to social, political, and cultural contexts as well as who are engaged (Klusmeyer, 2001). Although citizenship is often differentiated from nationality in that the former is defined as a political notion and the latter is classified as a legal term, in this article, following Kim (2013b), I treat citizenship and nationality interchangeably because there is no clear distinction between citizenship and nationality in South Korea. This tendency stems from the Korean history of national building during colonial rule (see Shin, 2006).…”

The Retreat of Multiculturalism? Explaining the South Korean Exception

“…The government amended the nationality law in 1997 so that children could inherit Korean citizenship through their mothers (N. H-J. Kim, 2013). Prior to this amendment, Korean law acknowledged only paternal lineage, and Korean women who married non-Korean men could not retain Korean citizenship.…”

“…From its position in the middle of the symbolic hierarchy, Korea has been eager to rebrand itself since the initiation of the globalization (segyehwa) drive under the Kim Young Sam administration. Subsequent leaders have continued the pursuit: for Kim Dae- Jung (1998Jung ( -2003, it was "Better Korea," for Noh Mu-Hyun (2003, it was "Becoming the Center of Northeast Asia (Donbuka jungsim gukga)," and finally for Lee Myung Bak (2008-2013, it was "Upgrading Korea (Gukyeok Jego)." Although expressed in different ways by those on opposite ends of the political spectrum, all of these campaigns are manifestations of Korea's sense of vulnerability as a middle country, its desire to move toward the core of the world stage, and its attempts to transform its economic power into "soft power" (Kalinowski & Cho, 2012).…”

“…Gender equality was one of the international standards the Kim Young Sam administration adopted as part of the globalization policy initiatives. The government amended the nationality law in 1997 so that children could inherit Korean citizenship through their mothers (N. H-J.…”