Overseas Korean Visa Holders Again Excluded from Government Consumption Coupons
Gwangsan District Council: "Part of the Local Economy... Criteria Must Be Different"
"Living Together with Citizens, Yet Always Outside Welfare Benefits"
Call for Local Discretion... Association Submits Petition to Presidential Office
The Gwangsan District Council in Gwangju has called for greater inclusivity and regional autonomy in government policies, after overseas Korean visa holders?residents without Korean nationality?were once again excluded from the government’s consumption coupon program. The council emphasized that “true recovery for people’s livelihoods must include the Koryoin community.”
On the previous day, the Gwangsan District Council issued a statement urging that the government’s livelihood recovery consumption coupon policy be revised so as not to exclude Koryoin residents who have established roots in the local community.
Members of the Gwangsan District Council in Gwangju took a commemorative photo after issuing a statement on the 16th urging the inclusion of consumption coupon policies for the Koryoin community. Provided by Gwangju Gwangsan District Council
In a statement delivered by council member Kim Youngsun (Democratic Party, Suwan-dong, Hanam-dong, Imgok-dong), the council pointed out, “The government’s universal consumption coupon policy is designed around Korean nationals, thereby excluding numerous foreign residents who contribute to the local community.”
Approximately 4,800 Koryoin residents live in Gwangsan District, with around 3,700 holding overseas Korean (F-4) visas. Despite their contributions to the local economy, they have been excluded from the benefits due to reasons such as not being enrolled in the national health insurance system.
The government set the eligibility criteria for the livelihood recovery consumption coupons based on “Korean nationals.” However, some exceptions are made for foreigners who are listed together with Korean nationals on the resident registration and are enrolled in health insurance, as well as for permanent residents, marriage immigrants, and recognized refugees. Overseas Korean (F-4) visa holders are not included among the beneficiaries.
The Gwangsan District Council stressed that “the degree of social integration of foreign residents should not be judged solely by their health insurance enrollment status,” and emphasized that “more flexible and inclusive criteria reflecting the unique characteristics of each region should be applied.” The council further added, “The President should reconsider this matter and move toward more inclusive policies.”
The council called on the government to establish eligibility criteria for consumption coupons that include Koryoin residents, and to grant local governments the discretion to adjust beneficiary groups. An official from Gwangsan District also stated, “There is a high possibility that Koryoin will be excluded under the current government guidelines, but we will review the details once the specific guidelines are issued.”
Morning of the 10th, a street view of the Gwangju Koryoin Village shopping district. In the Wolgok-dong area, where Russian signboards are concentrated, about 4,800 Koryoin residents live. Photo by Song Bohyun
Regarding this issue, Jeon Deukhan, head of the Gwangju Migrant Support Center, said in an interview with this newspaper, “Koryoin residents contribute to the community, but they are repeatedly excluded from welfare policies. This is a structural flaw in policy design.” Koryoin have also been repeatedly excluded from COVID-19 emergency relief funds and energy vouchers.
The Korean Koryoin Association also recently submitted a petition to the Presidential Office, requesting a reconsideration of the discriminatory exclusion of overseas Korean visa holders. The association stated, “Excluding Koryoin is inconsistent with integration and fairness,” and called for a policy review.
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