[New Korean Dream②] "Even Koreans Can Be Wrong"…High Bar of Naturalization Test for Citizenship Acquisition

High Barriers for Foreigners to Acquire South Korean Citizenship
Impact of Permanent Residency Prerequisites and Complex Laws
Calls for Improvement in Naturalization Exams
"Need for Even Distribution of Questions by Difficulty
and Consideration of Diversity Among Naturalization Applicants"

Foreigners dressed in hanbok are walking in Gyeongbokgung, Jongno-gu, Seoul.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] Changes in immigration policy mean lowering the barriers for foreigners to acquire Korean nationality. Typically, immigrants reside in Korea for a long period, obtain permanent residency, and then apply for naturalization to acquire Korean nationality. However, if policy changes lead to accepting more immigrants, the demand for naturalization is likely to increase accordingly.

The naturalization system has very high barriers. On December 20, 2018, the Nationality Act was amended, making the conditions for applying for naturalization more stringent. Applicants must reside for at least five years after obtaining permanent residency before they can apply for naturalization. Naturalization can only occur after permanent residency is granted. This is called the "principle of prior permanent residency." Kim Tae-hwan, Honorary President of the Korean Immigration Policy Association, pointed out, "Due to the principle of prior permanent residency and other factors, the immigrant population that actually transitions from permanent residency to naturalization is very minimal," adding, "Except for certain groups, the legal system makes it difficult to obtain permanent residency and naturalization."

A representative case is foreign workers. Foreign workers usually receive a non-professional employment visa (E-9 visa) to work in small and medium-sized enterprises in Korea. However, this visa only permits residence for up to 4 years and 10 months, which does not meet the 5-year residence requirement for permanent residency and naturalization. As a result, most foreign workers work for 1 to 2 years and then return to their home countries. On the other hand, marriage immigrants find naturalization easier. After marrying a Korean spouse and joining the family, they can receive various supports and benefits under the Multicultural Families Support Act. Kim said, "Out of 160,000 marriage immigrants in Korea, about 130,000 have officially naturalized." According to the statistical monthly report released by the Ministry of Justice's Immigration and Foreign Policy Headquarters in April, the number of marriage naturalizations steadily increased from 114,901 in 2016 to 149,791 in April 2022. 'New Korean Dream'

Some sample questions from the naturalization test for acquiring South Korean nationality.

Some sample questions from the naturalization test for acquiring South Korean nationality.

Some sample questions from the naturalization test for acquiring South Korean nationality.

There are also many calls for improvements to the naturalization test. In February, Kangnam, a singer and broadcaster from Japan, passed the naturalization test, and some of the questions from the tests he previously failed were posted online, sparking public interest. Netizens argued that the naturalization test was "at a level even Koreans get wrong," raising the need to adjust the difficulty. Some experts cite countries like the United States, Canada, and Australia, which design naturalization tests at an elementary school language level, saying, "The naturalization test only needs to verify literacy skills, such as the ability to read and write."

Foreigners wishing to naturalize in Korea must pass the Comprehensive Naturalization Assessment (KINAT). The written test consists of 40 questions (36 multiple-choice, 4 essay), scored out of 75 points, and the oral test has 5 questions, scored out of 25 points. A total score of 60 or above out of 100 is required to pass. The test is held 10 times a year, with 8 sessions scheduled this year. The questions cover not only Korean language but also Korean history, society, current affairs, and general knowledge.

Professor Yoon Jae-woong of Dongguk University’s Department of Korean Language Education, who analyzed 43 sample questions obtained from the market, pointed out, "Overall, the difficulty level of the naturalization test questions is not diverse," emphasizing, "Instead of setting the test level simply as easy or difficult, it is necessary to develop a range of questions from easy to difficult and distribute them evenly." He also stated, "Considering the diversity of naturalization candidates, questions covering various content areas such as language, history, culture, society, and law need to be developed," adding, "In particular, a listening section should be added."