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Foreigners wanting to marry South Korean citizens will have to take a written examination beginning in 2009. Though the current system exempts foreigners from the test after two years of marriage, the new system is being implemented amid the growing population of so called marriage-based immigrants to counter the social problems that have arisen due to differences in language and culture.

The government announced on September 21 that foreigners who are naturalized as Korean citizens through marriage must take the written test beginning in 2009, saying that the foreigners’ poor Korean language skills and limited understanding of the Korean society are causing social problems.

As of July 2007, the number of people who become Korean citizens through marriage has almost tripled to 104,749 from 34,710 in 2002. Cha Yong-ho, an official at the Justice Ministry, explained the necessity of the written examination by saying, “The figure is expected to increase to 400,000 within a decade. They should have minimum knowledge of the nation in order to get a job and teach their children.”

Currently, foreigners are exempted from the written test two years after their marriage to a South Korean citizen and can obtain citizenship only through an interview.

An examination conducted in early September of 100 applicants of marriage-based immigrants who have lived in Korea for over two years showed that they received an average of 47.1 points, out of 100, according to the ministry. The questions are about the Korean language, common knowledge, history and culture, and applicants must obtain 60 points or more in order to pass the test.

The ministry plans to strengthen the interview process beginning next year, after preparing criteria for an objective evaluation that confirms whether immigrants applying to be naturalized as Korean citizens through marriage have basic knowledge of Korea. Beginning in 2009, they will have to take the written test.

The ministry is now planning to prepare a special program under which those who take Korean language courses or computer lessons, organized by local governments and private organizations, for a certain period will be exempted from the written test.
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