Kang Kyung-wha expects daughter to give up US citizenship

By Na Jeong-ju

Foreign Minister nominee Kang Kyung-wha said Friday she expects her first daughter will give up her U.S. citizenship and switch to Korean soon.

Kang Kyung-wha

“There will be a family meeting to discuss this matter,” Kang told reporters. “I think my daughter will decide to give up American nationality. What’s important is how she feels about it.”

Kang’s daughter, who was born and grew up in the U.S., chose to become American in 2006 when she was 22.

Her daughter’s nationality has emerged as a controversial point ahead of her confirmation hearing. Cheong Wa Dae earlier said it heard from Kang before she was nominated as the country’s first female foreign minister that her daughter may discard her U.S. nationality.

Another issue is that Kang’s daughter used a fake address when she was studying in Korea as a high school student, a violation that is subject to up to three years in jail or up to 10 million won in fines.