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Thu, August 11, 2022 | 09:17
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Court softens standards on citizenship cases
귀화·체류연장 소송서 잇따라 '親외국인' 판결
Posted : 2014-05-13 16:45
Updated : 2014-05-13 19:01
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By Kim Da-ye

A court has ruled in favor of two foreigners whose applications for citizenship and visa extension were rejected by authorities for minor offenses in the past.

A 49-year-old Iranian filed a lawsuit against the immigration office after his application for visa extension was rejected last year because of a previous fine of 5 million won imposed on him two years ago for violating the country's Pharmaceutical Affairs Act.

The man came to Korea in June 2004 and setup a travel agency to arrange trips to the Middle East in 2010.

While organizing a pilgrimage trip to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, he found that tourists to the kingdom were required to be vaccinated against meningitis. He therefore bought the vaccines from his friend in Germany and sold it to his customers in violation of the medical regulations.

He argued that at the time of doing so, he was unaware that doing so was illegal.

The Seoul Administrative Court in its ruling, cited his ignorance of the country's law at the time of committing the act as sufficient grounds for leniency.

He invested some 100 million won in 2011 into the company.

"The complainant has lived in Korea for some 10 years, and if he leaves the country, he will lose all his livelihood and financial foundation that he has maintained by running business here. Furthermore, his son, a high school student who came to Korea in 2008, will have to leave as well," the court said in its ruling.

The travel agency earned 1.29 million won in the first half of 2012, but the revenue grew to 24.26 million won between July and September 2013. He won a contract with major travel firm Hana Tour and awarded the best booth prize at an international tourism exhibition in Busan in 2013.

In a related case, the court asked the Ministry of Justice to revoke its decision to not grant citizenship to a Chinese national, identified as Xu, who came to Korea in 2000 and applied for naturalization in 2012.

His application was rejected in 2013 because the ministry found that he had been fined 700,000 won in 2006 for driving under the influence and that his proof of employment was fabricated.

In order to obtain Korean citizenship, the Nationality Act requires applicants to be "well-behaved."

The court said that Xu was punished for driving under the influence of alcohol six years before he applied for citizenship. The three judge panel presided by Lee Seung-taek added that the blood alcohol level "wasn't too high" at 0.073 percent, adding that his drunken state at the time of arrest did not result in any damages.

Regarding the employment record, the court ruled that although Xu closed down his business on paper in 2010, he should be considered its legitimate CEO because he was dealing with legal and tax-related issues until recently. Shortly after he arrived in Korea, Xu set up a company that imports and distributes agricultural products.

Furthermore, Xu proved his "capacity to maintain livelihood" with a deposit of more than 30 million won, so the employment record wasn't necessary, the court said.


귀화·체류연장 소송서 잇따라 '親외국인' 판결

외국인들이 한국 국적을 얻거나 국내에 더 머물기 위해 관계 당국을 상대로 낸 소송에서 잇따라 이겼다.

법원은 '품행 단정'이라는 귀화 요건의 확대 적용을 피하거나 국내법을 잘 모르는 외국인 사정을 참작해 이같이 판결했다.

서울행정법원 행정1부(이승택 부장판사)는 중국인 이모(55)씨가 '귀화를 허가하지 않은 처분을 취소하라'며 법무부 장관을 상대로 낸 소송에서 원고 승소로 판결했다고 13일 밝혔다.

2012년 4월 귀화를 신청한 이씨는 국적법상 '품행 단정' 요건을 갖추지 못했다는 이유로 법무부가 이를 불허하자 소송을 냈다.

법무부는 이씨의 음주운전 전력을 문제 삼았다. 이씨는 지난 2006년 10월 음주운전 혐의로 벌금 70만원의 약식명령을 받은 적이 있었다.

그러나 재판부는 음주운전이 적발된지 오래 지난 점, 혈중 알코올농도가 0.073%에 그친 점, 피해가 발생하지 않은 점 등을 지적했다.

이어 '음주운전 외에는 장차 우리 사회 구성원이 되는 데 지장을 초래할 만한 품성을 보이지 않았다'며 이씨 손을 들어줬다.

재판부는 '귀화 불허 사유로 범죄 경력을 든다면, 범죄를 저지른 사실뿐 아니라 그 범죄의 내용, 처벌의 정도, 다른 비위 사실의 유무, 귀화 신청시까지의 기간 등을 모두 헤아려야 한다'고 거듭 강조했다.

같은 법원 행정6부(함상훈 부장판사)는 이란인 S(50)씨가 '체류기간을 연장하지 않은 처분을 취소하라'며 서울 출입국관리사무소장을 상대로 낸 소송에서도 원고 승소로 판결했다.

2004년 6월 입국해 수차례 체류 기간을 연장한 S씨는 작년 8월 출입국관리사무소 측이 돌연 기간 연장을 불허하자 소송을 냈다.

당국은 S씨가 2011년 7월 국내에서 사우디아라비아 여행 사업을 하던 중 수막구균 백신을 무단 수입하다가 적발된 사실을 지적했다.

하지만 재판부는 '식품의약품안전처장의 허가를 받거나 신고하지 않고 백신을 수입한 후 판매한 행위는 죄질이 결코 가볍지 않다'면서도 'S씨가 외국인으로서 국내법을 잘 알지 못했고 그 경위에 참작할 사정이 있다'고 판시했다.

재판부는 'S씨가 출국하게 되면 한국에서 사업을 하면서 유지해 온 삶의 터전과 경제적 기반을 모두 잃게 될 우려가 있다'고 덧붙였다. (연합뉴스)
Emailkimdaye@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
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