[Korea Education Newspaper] On June 5, the Overseas Koreans Agency held a commemorative event at the Diplomatic Town in Seocho-dong, Seoul, to mark the first anniversary of the launch of the Government of People's Sovereignty and the third anniversary of the Agency's launch, to review past achievements and explore future policy directions together with overseas Koreans around the world.
This event was held as an academic forum under the theme "Voices from Across the Sea, Responding with Policy," featuring real-time online communication with overseas Koreans worldwide and policy recommendations from academia.
In the first part of the online communication meeting, the Overseas Koreans Agency connected via video with overseas Koreans from around the world to share the progress made in resolving civil complaints that it has focused on this year, and listened to opinions and suggestions from the field.
At the meeting, officials from agencies related to overseas Korean policy, including the Ministry of Justice, also attended to directly explain the grievances of the overseas Korean community and suggestions from the field, and to listen to their opinions.
The attendees suggested expanding the scope of use for the simplified certificate for overseas Koreans, which allows access to domestic online services without a Korean mobile phone, increasing subsidies for overseas Korean organizations such as Korean associations, and issuing international driver's licenses and renewing Class 1 driver's licenses through overseas diplomatic missions.
In response, government officials explained the progress of expanding the use of simplified certificates for overseas Koreans in private services and the status of the review on improving driver's license-related services through overseas diplomatic missions.
Kim Kyung-hyup, head of the Overseas Koreans Affairs Agency, said, “We are reviewing the initial complaints and suggestions received through overseas diplomatic missions around the world together with relevant ministries,” adding, “I will continue to look after the situation until the end so that voices from the field lead to changes that overseas Koreans can actually feel.”
In the second part of the academic forum on overseas Korean policy held in the afternoon, academic experts from various fields, including the Korean Political Science Association, the Korean Sociological Association, the Korean Policy Association, and the Association of Korean Studies Abroad, participated in a discussion on the theme of 'Reflection and Transformation of Overseas Korean Policy'.
The participants diagnosed institutional blind spots and policy needs emerging in the overseas Korean policy process, and exchanged opinions on enhancing the rights and interests of overseas Koreans, increasing social acceptance, attracting overseas talent, and the future direction of overseas Korean networks.
In addition, discussions continued on policy directions to translate on-site demands into tangible institutional improvements for overseas Koreans.
Kim Kyung-hyup, head of the Overseas Koreans Agency, stated, “The Overseas Koreans Agency was able to launch and establish itself thanks to the voices of compatriots sent from all corners of the globe,” adding, “We will use this 3rd anniversary event as an opportunity to listen to the advice of our compatriots and reflect, and we will repay them with effective policies by carefully addressing the voices from the field.”
