Males giving up citizenship to avoid call-up

[SungWook]

Males giving up citizenship to avoid call-up

[코리아헤럴드 2005.05.12 01:10:33]

An increasing number of male Koreans with duel nationality have rushed to give up their Korean citizenship since a bill was revised last Wednesday that obliges them to do military service. The legislation is set to be implemented early next month.

The number of people who renounced Korean nationality - recording usually 2 or 3 per day - skyrocketed to 143 on May 10, with males accounting for 96 percent, the Ministry of Justice said yesterday.

Previously, Koreans who were born overseas were exempt from military duty after canceling their Korean citizenship.

The new legislation will not allow a male with duel nationality to give up Korean nationality before he finishes military obligations.

The revision aims to thwart the growing number of overseas childbirths to obtain foreign citizenships for military exemption.

According to a leading travel agency, some 3,000 maternity trips were estimated in 2001, 5,000 in 2002, 7,000 in 2003, and reached nearly 10,000 last year.

"Since we initiated the bill last November, the number of people who abandoned Korean nationality jumped to 700 and now it reaches 1,400," said Na Kyeong-bum, an aide of opposition Grand National Party lawmaker Hong Joon-pyo.

"Given that most of them age from 14 to 17, they intend to evade military service before the law takes effect," Na said. A Korean male is enrolled in the military when he becomes 18.

As a measure against the growing number of young males who give up Korean nationality, Rep. Hong is preparing a bill to deprive them of all rights as Koreans and to treat them like foreigners.

"The bill will hinder a Korean (who gave up citizenship) from going to local schools and deprive them of other rights (such as medical insurance)," Hong said.

Their parents are usually known to come from the upper social class of professors, businessmen and diplomats.

Parents of children under the age of 14 can cancel their children`s citizenship without taking them to the immigration office. Those with children older than 14 years old need to produce a letter of their child`s consent, if the child is absent.

1. What do you think about the recent issue about the new Nationality Law to keep Koreans with dual citizenship from dodging conscription by giving up their Korean nationality? And What do you think the main reason for the people to give up their nationality?

2. Do you think to give up their nationality is ‘the prestigious right for the upper class’ or ‘the right to choose their own nationality on their free will’, or ‘the only action to dodge the obligatory military service’?  What’s your opinion?

3. Under what circumstances can you give up your nationality? Can you share your might-be-possible-to-choose for your own nationality?

4. If you have a male child, would you ever consider choosing to give up his nationality for his future? Please share your idea with your members on why and why not?

5. Had you born in another country, where would you like to be?

[SungWook]

이글을 읽고 나서 많은 생각을 하게 되었어요..여러분들도 아시는 유승준 사건 등등..이 토픽은 이해 할수 있다 아님 이해 못한다 반반 일것 같아서 좋은 토론 토픽인것 같아서 함 올려 보았어요.

[서주]

이야~! 또 올리셨네~!감솨~!

[tochi]

허허 공부열심히 해서 가야겠넹 ㅋ

[Amy^^]

-_- 스크롤의 압박과 함께..해석의 압박이..ㅋ 열심히 해서 나가야겠습니다;

[장병찬]

이 주제가 8월 7일 토픽 맞나요?

[JOE~]

다소 어렵긴 하지만^^;;; 열심히~~~ㅋㅋㅋ 토픽올려주신 "Sung Wook"님~고마워요^^

[보미니]

잠시만요 우리 8월 7일 토픽 올리기로 하신분 저번모임에 계셨잖아요~?

[푸르뫼]

어? 보미니 말이 맞넹... 이상하군... '피자'님이 올리기로 한거 같은뎅... -.-;;

[Amy^^]

그러면 이것으로 할까요?

[플라잉치킨]

그러게요..피자님이 올리기로 했는데..피자님께서 올리시면 둘다 하고요..못올리신다면 이걸로 하지요..^^

[friend]

피자먹고 있는거 아냐?? ㅋㅋ (썰렁) 죄송시럽게시리..

[서주]

그런디... 성욱님 안 나오세요?

[장병찬]

3번 질문 누가 해석 좀 해줘요..^^ 도저히 무슨 뜻인지 모르겠네요..

[보미니]

3. 어떤 상황에 있다면, 당신은 국적을 포기하시겠습니까? 당신이 국적을 선택할 수 있다면 어떤 나라가 될지 얘기해 주시겠습니까?

[tochi]

피자님이 담주 토픽은 준비하신다는 군요 ^^ 누가 미리 올려놔서 토픽 준비한거 못올렸다구 하더군요^^ 그러고 이번주는 참석 못하신다구 꼭 좀 미안하다고 전해달라내요^^