(1) Reasons for Proposal

The amendment aims to specify the standards for assessing "a man of good conduct" in the Enforcement Rules by providing the basis for delegating a judgement on "good conduct," which is a requirement for naturalization, in accordance with the amendment to the Nationality Act and to establish other matters that need improvement in operating the system.

(2) Major Provisions

A. Specify the standards for assessing "good conduct," a requirement for naturalization (Article 5-2)

Specify the resctriction type and period of naturalization permission since the Act was revised to prescribe the requirement for "good conduct" in the Enforcement Rule and thus, the said requirement needs its own assessment standards.

B. Revise other matters necessary for improvement in operating the systems (Article 3)

1) Currently only the publicly announced price of real estate is recognized and the real transaction price is not recognized as an evaluation method for real estate property to demonstrate the ability to support himself/herself. However, this Amendment specifies that the real transaction price from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the market price announced by commercial banks shall be recognized in addition to the certificate of real estate registration for the publicly announced price of the real estate of 60 million won or more (30 million won for facilitated naturalization).

2) A recommendation letter from a recommender is required for a foreigner who has a weak connection with Korea to receive permission for general naturalization under the current naturalization recommendation system, but qualification of a recommender is limited to a specific occupation group, which may be regarded as one of the social discriminations; therefore, the Amendment aims to improve the provision by specifying that any national of the Republic of Korea, who has a continuing relationship with a naturalization applicant, such as a co-worker, neighbor, or the head of Tong or Ri of a naturalization applicant is able to prepare a recommendation letter (2 letters from 2 persons, respectively) regardless of his/her job or social status.

3) Currently, the criteria of ability to support himself/herself for facilitated naturalization applies to a holder of a status of sojourn as an overseas Korean who applies for naturalization; but the Amendment allows that the criteria of ability to support himself/herself for facilitated naturalization may also apply to a person who had previously held a status of sojourn as an overseas Korean, considering that the prepositive principle of permanent residence of general naturalization is exercised.