WASHINGTON -- President Park Geun-hye said Monday that her government will provide increased support for overseas Koreans to improve their legal status at home during a meeting with Korean-Americans in Washington.

“I think it would be advisable to issue something similar to resident registration cards for overseas Koreans to give them more opportunities to contribute to their homeland, and to offer more administrative support in related areas,” Park said in response to questions about her administration’s plans for overseas Koreans.

The ruling Saenuri Party and the main opposition Democratic Party drew up plans in April to provide resident registration cards for them and to ease the regulations for obtaining dual citizenship.

Under current regulations, overseas Koreans are required to be over the age of 65 to obtain dual citizenship.

She added that her government will provide more support for teaching overseas Korean children the Korean language and culture, and that negotiations were underway to expand the U.S. visa quota for professional Koreans to 15,000 per year.

“The government is making great efforts. I will continue to work on this issue at Congress and at the summit meeting,” Park said, referring to the speech she is scheduled to give at Congress on Wednesday. Park added that she has made related requests on numerous occasions at meetings with U.S. legislators visiting Seoul.

Park went on to say that her government will roll out “preemptive tailored support” measures to create a “global Korean network.”

The president’s efforts to cater to overseas Koreans are thought to be linked to her plans to establish a “creative economy” during her term.

“The new government has set creative economy as its policy direction, and (if creative economic model takes hold) creative leaders who are globally competitive will be fostered,” Park said, referring to Korean-Americans who have risen to high-ranking positions in the U.S.

Regarding North Korea, Park said South Korea’s economy and security were in no way affected by the rising tensions, and that Seoul would respond “calmly while strengthening collaboration with the international community.” 

“We are keeping the doors of communication open at all times. If North Korea stops provocations and follows the right way recognized by the international community, the path of mutual advancement between the South and the North will be taken.”

Park also expressed concern for the Japanese government’s stance on historical issues, and thanked Washington’s Korean community for helping the Korean government gain ownership of the building that served as Joseon’s embassy to the U.S.

Last year, the Korean government purchased a historical building in Washington, D.C., which was used as the legation building of Korea’s Joseon Dynasty (1392-1897) and the Korean Empire (1897-1910) in the U.S. from 1891 to 1905. 


By Lee Joo-hee (jhl@heraldcorp.com)
Korea Herald correspondent