YONHAP NEWS

3 out 4 naturalized Koreans female: data

SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- Three out of every four people who became South Korean citizens in the past five years were female, likely due to an increase in marriages between Korean men and foreign women, according to a government report.

   Women accounted for 76.6 percent of the roughly 50,700 people who became naturalized Korean citizens between 2005 and June this year, according to the report filed by the Justice Ministry and released by Democratic Party lawmaker Shin Hak-yong on Saturday.

   The most by far, 84.3 percent, came from China. Former citizens of the Philippines and Vietnam followed with 5.2 percent and 4.9 percent, respectively.

   Most were young, with people in their 20s and 30s accounting for over 60 percent.

   "Their age, gender ratio and their country of origin suggest there is a growing number of foreign women who become naturalized citizens by marriage," Shin said in a statement.

   "There is an urgent need for the government to set up state-managed support systems for multicultural families."

   A growing number of Korean men from rural parts of the country are going overseas to find wives, as more women here seek higher standards of living in urban areas.

   hkim@yna.co.kr
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