The policy of the Republic of Korea toward “overseas Koreans” (on the example of Koryo Saram)

Abstract

South Korea has been actively engaging with «overseas Koreans» since the 1990s. Diaspora policy is part of the country’s foreign policy and is managed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which has a coordinating committee, and the Overseas Koreans Foundation, which implements the policy. Relations with the Korean diaspora are regulated by the «Overseas Koreans Act» and the «Overseas Koreans Foundation Act».They define the policy’s purpose and the legal status of overseas Korean. It is defined by the concept of «overseas Korean - chaeoedongp’o» which includes South Koreans living abroad as well as the Korean diaspora. This article examines the diaspora policy of the Republic of Korea towards the Koryo Saram - Koreans of the CIS countries. The focus is on their legal status. An analysis of the legal framework shows that, until 2004, the Koryo Saram, like Koreans living in China, were not legally recognized as overseas Koreans. The situation changed in 2004 when the definition of overseas Koreans was modified. South Korea’s diaspora policy towards CIS Koreans is being developed through the Koryo Saram Support Programme. Subsequently, in 2010, the Koryo Saram Act was passed, and in 2019 another change in the regulations takes place, according to which all generations of Koryo Saram descendants begin to be considered foreign Koreans, not just up to the 3rd generation as previously claimed.