How Korea's special citizenship for outstanding foreign talent works

Korea has granted citizenship to 458 people through special naturalization or nationality restoration for outstanding talent since the system began in 2011. The route covers foreign nationals with exceptional achievements and former Korean citizens who meet the same criteria, and allows recipients to retain their previous nationality if they pledge not to exercise it while in Korea. Eligibility varies by profession, with requirements for experience, employment, achievements and, in some categories, income. Applicants are interviewed by government agencies before the Nationality Deliberation Committee reviews their cases, and the justice minister makes the final decision.

The total includes 203 foreigners granted special naturalization and 255 former Korean nationals whose citizenship was restored, according to Ministry of Justice data obtained by The Korea Times.

Recipients numbered 62 in 2023, 54 in 2024 and 51 in 2025; another 30 acquired citizenship in the first 10 months of 2026.

Researchers in artificial intelligence, system semiconductors, biotechnology or future vehicles generally need at least two years of research or development experience and a job or confirmed offer from a Korean company or research institute.

The Nationality Deliberation Committee is chaired by the vice justice minister and consists of seven government members and 22 civilian members.

After approval, applicants take an oath of allegiance and receive certificates of nationality.

Published Oct 30, 2026 7:00 am KST

Naturalized citizens attend a national ceremony during a citizenship certificate presentation at Daegu Catholic University's Hyosung Campus in Gyeongsan, North Gyeongsang Province, April 23, 2019. Newsis

Korea offers a special route to citizenship for foreigners with exceptional achievements in fields ranging from science and technology to business, arts and sports.

Since the system was introduced in 2011, a total of 458 people have acquired Korean citizenship through special naturalization or nationality restoration for outstanding talent, according to Ministry of Justice data obtained by The Korea Times.

The figure includes 203 foreigners granted special naturalization and 255 former Korean nationals whose citizenship was restored as of October this year. The number of recipients reached 62 in 2023, 54 in 2024 and 51 last year. Another 30 acquired citizenship in the first 10 months of 2026.

Special naturalization is available to foreigners whose abilities and achievements are considered likely to benefit Korea. Nationality restoration, meanwhile, allows former Korean citizens who acquired foreign nationality to regain Korean citizenship if they meet the same outstanding-talent criteria.

Unlike naturalization applicants, recipients under the outstanding-talent system can retain their previous nationality rather than renounce it.

“Those who acquire Korean nationality through special naturalization or nationality restoration for outstanding talent may retain dual nationality by pledging not to exercise their foreign nationality while in Korea,” a justice ministry official said.

The requirements vary by profession. Eligible applicants include university professors and specialists in advanced technologies. Former heads of state, Nobel Prize laureates and winners of other internationally recognized awards may also qualify.

In academia, applicants can qualify with a least one year of experience as an associate professor or professor at a four-year university, provided they meet the relevant publication requirements. Researchers at universities, public research institutions and corporate laboratories are assessed under separate criteria covering employment history and academic output.

Those working in artificial intelligence (AI), system semiconductors, biotechnology or future vehicles generally need at least two years of research or development experience. They must also work for a Korean company or research institute, or have a confirmed job offer from one.

Foreign nationals of Korean descent are subject to less stringent experience requirements and may be exempt from the domestic employment requirement in certain circumstances.

Business applicants may qualify through executive experience at major companies, export records or investment and job creation in Korea. Artists and athletes are assessed on their professional achievements, including results in major international competitions. Certain categories also have minimum income requirements tied to Korea’s gross national income per capita.

Vietnamese-born violinist Tran Huu Quoc became the first foreigner to acquire Korean citizenship through the outstanding talent system when it launched in 2011. While academics make up the largest share of recipients, the number surged in 2016 as athletes naturalized ahead of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics.

Earlier this year, Mosab Kaseem, a professor of nano technology and advanced materials engineering at Sejong University, was granted special naturalization in April in recognition of his research in advanced materials. Among the most recent recipients are Mirzaie Mohammad, an Iranian-born physicist at the Institute for Basic Science, and Oh Hee, a Yale University mathematics professor who regained Korean nationality, who both acquired citizenship in July.

Applicants undergo interviews conducted by relevant government agencies before their cases are reviewed by the Nationality Deliberation Committee, which is chaired by the vice justice minister and consists of seven government members and 22 civilian members.

The justice minister makes the final decision on naturalization or nationality restoration, after which approved applicants take an oath of allegiance and receive certificates of nationality.

自2011年韩国设立“特殊入籍或恢复国籍”制度以来，已有458人通过该制度获得韩国国籍。该制度涵盖具有杰出成就的外国公民和符合相同条件的韩国前公民，并允许获得者在承诺不在韩国期间行使原国籍的前提下保留原国籍。申请资格因职业而异，需满足经验、就业、成就以及部分类别的收入等要求。申请人需先接受政府机构的面试，之后由国籍审议委员会审核其申请，最终由法务部长做出决定。

据《韩国时报》获得的韩国司法部数据显示，总数包括 203 名获得特殊入籍的外国人和 255 名恢复国籍的前韩国国民。

2023 年获奖人数为 62 人，2024 年为 54 人，2025 年为 51 人；2026 年前 10 个月又有 30 人获得公民身份。

从事人工智能、系统半导体、生物技术或未来汽车领域的研究人员通常需要至少两年的研究或开发经验，以及来自韩国公司或研究机构的工作或已确认的聘用通知。

国籍审议委员会由司法部副部长担任主席，由七名政府成员和二十二名平民成员组成。

获得批准后，申请人将宣誓效忠并获得国籍证书。

发布于2026年10月30日 上午7:00（韩国标准时间）

2019年4月23日，入籍公民在庆尚北道庆山市大邱天主教大学晓星校区参加入籍证书颁发仪式。（Newsis）

韩国为在科学技术、商业、艺术和体育等领域取得杰出成就的外国人提供特殊的入籍途径。

据《韩国时报》获得的韩国司法部数据显示，自2011年该制度实施以来，共有458人通过特殊入籍或恢复国籍的方式获得了韩国国籍，以表彰杰出人才。

该数字包括203名获得特殊入籍的外国人，以及截至今年10月恢复韩国国籍的255名原韩国公民。2023年获此殊荣的人数为62人，2024年为54人，去年为51人。另有30人在2026年前10个月获得韩国国籍。

对于能力和成就被认为可能对韩国有益的外国人，韩国政府提供特殊入籍途径。同时，国籍恢复制度允许已获得外国国籍的前韩国公民，如果符合同样的杰出人才标准，可以恢复韩国国籍。

与入籍申请人不同，根据杰出人才制度获得的受惠者可以保留原国籍，而不是放弃原国籍。

“通过特殊入籍或因杰出人才恢复国籍而获得韩国国籍的人，可以通过承诺在韩国期间不行使外国国籍来保留双重国籍，”司法部官员表示。

不同职业的要求各不相同。符合条件的申请人包括大学教授和先进技术领域的专家。前国家元首、诺贝尔奖获得者以及其他国际公认奖项的获得者也可能符合资格。

在学术界，申请人只要具备四年制大学副教授或教授至少一年的工作经验，并满足相关的论文发表要求，即可获得资格。大学、公共研究机构和企业实验室的研究人员则根据不同的评估标准进行评估，这些标准涵盖工作经历和学术成果。

从事人工智能、系统半导体、生物技术或未来汽车领域的工作人员通常需要至少两年的研发经验。他们还必须在韩国公司或研究机构工作，或者已获得韩国公司或研究机构的正式聘用通知。

具有韩国血统的外国公民在经验要求方面受到的限制较少，并且在某些情况下可以免除国内就业要求。

商业申请人可通过在大型企业担任高管的经验、出口业绩或在韩国的投资和创造就业机会来获得资格。艺术家和运动员则根据其职业成就进行评估，包括在重大国际赛事中的成绩。某些类别还设有与韩国人均国民总收入挂钩的最低收入要求。

越南裔小提琴家陈友国是2011年韩国杰出人才制度启动后首位通过该制度获得韩国国籍的外国人。虽然学术界人士占获奖者的最大比例，但随着运动员在2018年平昌冬奥会前入籍，2016年获奖人数激增。

今年早些时候，世宗大学纳米技术与先进材料工程教授莫萨布·卡西姆（Mosab Kaseem）因其在先进材料领域的研究成果，于4月获得特别入籍。最近入籍的还有伊朗裔物理学家、韩国基础科学研究院的米尔扎伊·穆罕默德（Mirzaie Mohammad）以及恢复韩国国籍的耶鲁大学数学教授吴熙（Oh Hee），他们均于7月获得韩国国籍。

申请人需接受相关政府机构的面试，之后其案件将由国籍审议委员会进行审查。该委员会由司法部副部长担任主席，由七名政府成员和二十二名平民成员组成。

司法部长对入籍或恢复国籍做出最终决定，之后获得批准的申请人宣誓效忠并获得国籍证书。