SEOUL, November 6 (AJP) — South Korea will allow foreign nationals seeking legal recognition of a Korean parent and their caregivers to stay longer and work legally while their lawsuits are pending, the Ministry of Justice said Friday.
The changes aim to protect children born outside marriage from legal and financial hardship as they seek to establish their parentage and eligibility for Korean citizenship.
Previously, foreign children seeking legal recognition of a Korean parent and their caregivers were largely limited to short-term C-3 visas while their cases were pending.
Even those who secured longer stays faced restrictions on working.
Under the new rules, eligible children entering South Korea on short-term visas can apply for G-1 status, a visa category for foreigners who need to stay for special reasons, allowing them to remain in the country while their lawsuits are pending.
Applicants must provide documents showing that their parent-child relationship is likely to be legally recognized.
The ministry will also allow children involved in such lawsuits and their caregivers to work if they need to support themselves, subject to approval by a government council overseeing foreign nationals' rights.
“This measure aims to protect children with a Korean parent and their caregivers from hardship during legal proceedings, fulfilling the government's basic humanitarian responsibility,” Acting Justice Minister Lee Jin-soo said.
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