220,000 Koreans gave up citizenship 2007-2016 


 

More than 220,000 Koreans ditched their citizenship between 2007 and 2016, according to data revealed Tuesday.

Data from the IOM Migration Research and Training Center, a Korean research institute concerning migration policy, shows 223,611 Koreans gave up their citizenship during that period. Among them, 94,908 acquired American citizenship, followed by Japanese (58,870) and Canadian (32,732).

The number of Koreans renouncing their citizenship more than doubled to 36,404 last year from 17,529 in 2015.

During the 10-year period, 153,257 people acquired Korean nationality. Chinese acｃounted for more than 50 percent of them with 87,118, followed by Vietnamese with 27,310.

"An increasing number of Koreans are leaving their ｃountry, while the problem of the low birthrate is getting more serious," Rep. Yoon Sang-jick of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party said. "The government should do more research to figure out why this is happening and come up with ways to secure national competitiveness."

Article Source: http://www.cetusnews.com/news/220-000-Koreans-gave-up-citizenship-2007-2016-.H1Ma_GEm6W.html
Image Source: https://vietnam-evisa.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Korean-citizens-are-eligible-for-e-visa-Vietnam.jpg

VOCABULARY WORDS:
1. Ditch (v./ informal) ~ get rid of give up
2. Renounce (v.) ~ formally declare one's abandonment of (a claim, right, or possession) 

3. Secure (v.) ~ protected against attack or other criminal activity 

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:
1. What do you think are the factors that causes some Koreans to renounce their nationality?
2. How would this phenomenon affect Korean society?
3. Is having dual citizenship possible in Korea? Discuss the pros and cons of it.
4. If given a chance, would you renounce your Korean citizenship? Explain your answer.