"Now Korean Citizens" Buk-gu to Provide 300,000 Won to Marriage Immigrants

Support for Naturalized Citizens Since January

Eligibility Limited to Those Earning Up to 150% of Median Income

Front view of Buk-gu Office in Gwangju. Provided by Buk-gu Office, Gwangju

Buk-gu District in Gwangju will provide 300,000 won to help reduce the financial burden of naturalization costs for marriage immigrants settling in the local community.

According to Buk-gu District on March 19, this initiative was introduced to support the stable settlement of marriage immigrants who have not yet acquired Korean citizenship, as “marriage to a Korean national” accounted for more than half of all naturalizations in Korea last year. As of the end of December last year, there were 971 marriage immigrants residing in Buk-gu who had not yet obtained Korean citizenship.

The support is available to marriage immigrants who newly acquired Korean citizenship after January 1, 2024. Applicants must have registered their residence in Buk-gu and lived there for at least six months after acquiring citizenship, and their income must not exceed 150% of the median income. In addition, as of the application date, they must still be legally married to their Korean spouse.

Residents who wish to apply must submit the required documents, including a certificate of naturalization, certificate of marriage, and a certified copy of resident registration, to the administrative welfare center in their jurisdiction.

Applicants determined to be eligible following a review of the submitted documents will receive the support payment the following month. The funds will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis until the allocated budget is exhausted.

A Buk-gu District official stated, “We hope this program will serve as a starting point for marriage immigrants to take root in the local community,” adding, “We will continue to actively pursue practical initiatives to support the self-reliance of foreign residents and multicultural families.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.