Koreans living overseas urge gov't to improve public services

Overseas Koreans join an online forum held by the Overseas Koreans Agency (OKA) during the OKA's ceremonial event marking the 3rd anniversary of its launch, Friday. Captured from OKA's YouTube channel

Koreans living overseas urged the Overseas Koreans Agency (OKA) to improve citizen services, raising issues mainly about the expansion of the identity verification system using foreign numbers, support for Korean cultural facilities and the overseas issuance of international driver’s licences.

In an online forum held by the OKA marking the third anniversary of the launch of the agency, overseas Koreans, mainly the heads of overseas Korean associations, shared their difficulties and suggestions on how to improve Korean government services.

Several participants urged the government to support cultural facilities in their regions so that Korea can expand its influence in other countries.

“We urgently need a Korean Cultural Center established in East Timor … KOICA (Korea International Cooperation Agency) has funded other large-scale projects here, such as a $10 million football stadium and various small business factories. However, these do not seem to effectively enhance Korea’s national image. When people here think of football, they think of Portugal, not Korea. Supporting a Taekwondo academy or a Korean Cultural Center would be far more effective in boosting Korea’s brand,” said Lee Jae-kwon, head of the Korean association in East Timor.

“The issue is that ordering physical promotional brochures about Korea directly from Korea incurs alot of shipping and logistics costs … We hope that the government establishes a system to distribute and deliver promotional materials directly to us through local diplomatic missions,” added Hwang Jung-joo, head of the House of Korea in San Diego, which hosts cultural events related to Korea.

Some participants described difficulties in using the identification verification system as they normally only accept local Korean numbers.

"When trying to use Korean online shopping malls, we are blocked at the registration step by identity verification requirements. We cannot enjoy Korea’s basic digital conveniences — such as hailing taxis, using delivery apps or making reservations — due to this impassable verification wall,” said Noh Jung-ah from Oregon, who has lived overseas for the last 13 years.

“Many overseas Koreans pay to maintain an active Korean phone number year-round solely for verification purposes … I request that the government implement a system allowing both public and private sectors to adopt a simplified, universally accessible verification method for overseas Koreans. This would provide immense support to the vast diaspora who, despite living abroad, remain deeply connected to Korea."

Lee Yong-hyuk, head of the Korean association in Cambodia, has found it difficult to obtain an international driver’s license overseas.

“If a traffic accident occurs while operating a motorcycle or a car, a standard Korean driver’s license is not legally recognized in some countries, leaving individuals highly vulnerable. To prevent these dangerous legal loopholes, allowing our local diplomatic missions to issue international driving licenses is a vital and urgent safeguard.”

Kim Dong-ju, an official from the National Police Agency, said a system for on-site issuance of international driver’s licenses will be introduced in the second half of this year after finishing the assessment process.

While stressing that the OKA is open to accepting complaints through various channels, OKA Commissioner Kim Kyung-hyup said that overseas Koreans act as frontline civic diplomats and Korean wave influencers across the globe.

“We are committed to maximizing the capabilities of our 7 million Koreans overseas so that they can fulfill their roles as propagators of 'hallyu,' expanders of our economic territory — including export markets and supply chains — and as civic diplomats driving international cooperation.”

He said that the agency has received 1,438 suggestions and complaints from overseas Koreans, and provided formal responses to some 900 of them.

He pointed out that Korea’s current legal framework recognizes only citizens and foreign nationals, pledging to pass pending legislation that would officially integrate the distinct concept of overseas Koreans into the broader national system.

“While our current immigration and residency policies show consideration for overseas Koreans by recognizing the specific concept of the 'diaspora,' our health care, welfare and educational frameworks are strictly binary, categorizing individuals solely as either 'citizens' or 'foreigners.' This dichotomy creates significant administrative bottlenecks in executing welfare programs … Following the enactment of the special act on support for the settlement of returning overseas Koreans, the institutional concept of the 'overseas Korean' will be codified. The OKA is actively pushing for this legislation, and, once passed, it will systematically resolve the existing blind spots in education and welfare for our returning Koreans.”

He also stressed that it is a basic right for overseas Koreans to participate in elections by introducing online and mail-in voting.