The government is considering expanding its crime victim compensation program to include all foreigners residing legally here, officials said Tuesday.
The move comes after a 20-year-old Vietnamese woman was killed by her 47-year-old, mentally ill Korean husband earlier this month, only a week after she arrived here through an international marriage broker.
The Ministry of Justice will soon determine whether to limit the beneficiaries of the support system to marriage immigrants and their children or open the program to all foreigners legally residing in the country, the officials said.
Under the current law, victims of crime are eligible to receive up to 30 million won ($24,700) in state compensation when they fall prey to unidentified criminals or do not have enough money to receive medical treatment for injuries.
The ministry will draft a bill and consult with related agencies regarding the scope of beneficiaries under the new scheme before submitting it to the National Assembly in September, they said.