Changes in laws on int’l marriage

A new regulation will take effect Friday requiring that brokers for interracial marriages must collect the career and health records of the couple and have the records confirmed by both sides before the marriage.

The regulation is in response to the practice of foreign women with fake identities marrying Korean men in an attempt to get legal citizenship for a job in Korea. Targeting these women, brokers have connected them with Korean men who are underprivileged or divorced, but they have disguised their status from the women.

A client who wants an international marriage will now have to submit a marriage record, health report, proof of employment and criminal record. The broker then must draft a confirmation document and interpret it in the language of each party.

“To create an advanced culture of international marriage, we have developed a plan for educating brokers about the new regulation,” said Lee Bok-sil, a government official.

By Kim Hee-jin [heejin@joongang.co.kr]