재한 외국인과 영주제도 소고

Abstract

Through globalization and economic growth, our society is already embracing many foreigners. Now, as the country is facing a population decrease due to low birth rate and aging population, it is seeking to cope with the situation with the situation with an aggressive immigration policy. The way to integrate society with foreigners who are staying in Korea is difficult unless the legal system is supported by improvement and adjustment. Among foreign residents, particularly permanent residents are persons with an objective basis and will to live together permanently as a member of society, and giving them legal status equivalent to the nation is an important element of acceptance and integration. In the same vein, it should consider taking foreigners who can participate in civic and social activities as legal entities by bringing up the concept of citizen, which is the concept of their neighbors, to the legal concept. Transitioning foreigners into the subject of universal human rights, not discrimination, would contribute to the growth of democratic citizens by expanding the people's human rights awareness and advancing social integration. Recently, under the leadership of the Ministry of Justice, a law revision was made to ensure the general status of the permanent resident at the statutory level while allowing them to naturalize under the condition of permanent residency. Under the Constitution, a legal system that strengthens the rights of foreigners while reconsidering the concept of the nation is needed. The revised Nationality Act and the revised Immigration Act are still waiting to be implemented, but this revision process is likely to provide a glimpse into the past, present and future of the permanent residency and naturalization systems.