By Jeong Ji-su
Foreigners marrying Korean citizens in Korea are required to have basic knowledge of the Korean language, reported YTN Monday. This new policy started April 1.
The Ministry of Justice said it is part of measures to strengthen requirements for issuing F-6 marriage visas for immigrants.
Under the revised rules, visa applicants wishing to stay legally in the country will have to go through screening to check whether or not they can speak basic Korean, the ministry said.
Applicants can submit Test of Proficiency in Korean (TOPIK) scores or certificates issued from government-designated language courses.
However, couples who can communicate with each other in another language will be exempt from the screening.
Locals wanting to invite foreign spouses are also required to earn a minimum of 14.79 million won ($13,874) per year or have a stable place of residence.