재외동포정책의 목표와 추진체계의 재정립

Abstract

Basic goals of overseas Koreans policy since the Kim Yong-sam administration have been the same emphasizing successful settlement of overseas Koreans in host countries and strengthening ties between overseas Koreans and the homeland. Because environments surrounding overseas Koreans have been rapidly changing, however, there is strong need to reestablish the goals and implementation system of overseas Koreans in global era. Future-oriented overseas Koreans policy needs to aim at supporting overseas Koreans to become responsible and productive members of the host country and contribute to reciprocal developments among the homeland, overseas Koreans, and the host country. Also, the future overseas Koreans policy needs to expand its target group to foreigners related with overseas Koreans by marriage or adoption. Although they may not the core target group of overseas Koreans policy, they have significant influence on the welfare and wellbeing of overseas Koreans and thus need to be incorporated into overseas Koreans policy at least as ‘honorary overseas Koreans.’ Finally, in order to improve the implementation system of overseas Koreans policy, it is desired to empower the capacity of the committee for overseas Koreans policy under the prime minister to coordinate tasks and programs scattered across different ministries.