Expansion of Consular Services

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2 Expansion of Consular Services

3 Chapter 1. Providing Safety and Pursuing the Rights of Korean Nationals Abroad 2009 Diplomatic White Paper 1. Strengthening the Measures to Protect Korean Nationals Abroad 1) Various Systems to Protect Korean Nationals Abroad 242 (1) Safety Systems to Prevent Overseas Accidents Overseas Safe Travel Website MOFAT runs a website on overseas safe travel ( to warn of emergency situations that threaten the safety of Korean nationals and to provide information on national safety, travel warnings, passports and visas. Reorganizing the website in February 2009, MOFAT integrated the data of all the countries and created a system called the Registration of Koreans Overseas for travelers heading toward countries or regions with travel warnings. Travel Warning System and Restrictions on Travels to High-Risk Areas MOFAT has categorized the high-risk areas into four groups according to the level of risk involved in traveling them - travel cautioned, travel refrained, travel restricted and travel banned - in order to facilitate the safety of Korean nationals traveling overseas. Amendments to the Passport Act have given MOFAT the legal justification

4 to prevent Korean nationals from traveling to or taking residence in high-risk areas overseas, after conducting careful security analysis of those regions. The countries currently under the ban are Iraq, Somalia and Afghanistan. The ban began on August 7, 2008 for a minimum of one year with a possible extension depending on the situation in the country. Exceptions can be made to enter or stay in these areas under special circumstances such as having permanent residency in the region or for purposes of news reports, humanitarian emergencies, public affairs, national interest operations, or corporation activities. These circumstances are permitted after the reasons for the travel and relevant security measures have been thoroughly examined. Short Message Service (SMS) Carried out since May 2005, the SMS functions to prevent accidents by informing of emergency situations by mobile phones to Koreans traveling to calamity disaster areas using mobile roaming services. With the help of SKT and KTF, MOFAT has been offering this service to an average of three million people in 130 countries annually. The SMS extended to LGT in January Registration of Koreans Overseas In the past, MOFAT experienced difficulties in giving immediate consular assistance to short-term travelers in emergency situations because they could not be located. MOFAT therefore, created a section on Overseas Safe Travel Website titled Registration of Koreans Overseas where travelers can report their names, addresses, addresses, phone numbers and travel plans. The system is run for those traveling to countries or regions with travel warnings. 6. Expansion of Consular Services Safety Inspection Teams for High-Risk Areas After the abduction of Daewoo E&C employees by Nigerian armed groups in January 2007, MOFAT dispatched safety inspection teams comprised of government officials from the relevant departments twice a year to inspect each of Korean companies in high-risk areas. Based on the results of the inspection, MOFAT designed safety measures according to the characteristics of each region. Moreover, MOFAT conducts safety inspections in regions where many deep-

5 sea fishing vessels operate under high risks of abduction, runs training courses and establishes networks to protect Korean missionaries working overseas. Inspection Teams Deployed to High-Risk Areas in Diplomatic White Paper 244 (2) Response Systems to Accidents/Incidents Overseas Rapid Overseas Remittance System The implementation of the Rapid Overseas Remittance System on June 1, 2007 has allowed Korean nationals to make quick international monetary transfers. This system provides assistance to Korean travelers who are in urgent on cash due to robberies, loss of possessions or other accidents. When a traveler Map of Rapid Overseas Remittance System Process Deposit requested money and remittance fee Apply for remittance Embassy Remittance Notify Call Center of deposit Nonghyup Bank Return change Request Remittance Family member Applicant Receive money Notify embassy of deposit Consular Call Center

6 faces such emergencies, a family member or acquaintance in Korea must make a deposit to the Consular Call Center s domestic bank account in the amount requested by the traveler. The center will then inform the relevant diplomatic post, which will in turn provide the cash directly to the traveler/applicant. In two years up to March 31, 2009, there were 631 remittance cases totaling $ 5.7 hundred million. Consular Call Center MOFAT s Consular Call Center, which was officially launched on April 1, 2005, provides counselling services on overall consular affairs, including accidents or mishaps overseas as well as passport matters. In 2008, the center handled 20,000 incoming calls per month. The center gained national recognition when it won first place among government call centers on the Korea Service Quality Index (KSQI) of that year. Consular Call Center Contact Information 6. Expansion of Consular Services Rapid Response Teams MOFAT runs a system that protects Korean nationals by immediately dispatching officials when incidents accidents overseas arise. In 2008, MOFAT dispatched teams around the world to find missing Koreans and assist their bereaved. During the Beijing Summer Olympics in August 2008, in particular, MOFAT succeeded in remarkably reducing the level of incidents compared to those of the previous years. Consular Assistant System In February 2009, MOFAT appointed 64 consular assistants to 13 countries that have no diplomatic offices and 51 regions located far from diplomatic offices. When incidents arise, the consular assistants initiate early stage

7 responses and handle consular services under the directions of consuls. This system has expanded offices to protect Korean nationals to the following regions - 16 areas in China (including Tianjin, Harbin and Nanjing), 21 areas in the Asia-Pacific region (including Bali and Cebu), 6 areas in Europe (including Albania, Slovania and Barcelona), 10 areas in America (including Cuba and Haiti), 11 areas in Africa and the Middle East (including Syria and Mozambique) Diplomatic White Paper Establishment Management of the Integrated Consular System In order to facilitate the nationals traveling or staying overseas, MOFAT reconstituted various programs into the Integrated Consular System that protect Korean nationals abroad under entire traveling process. 246

8 Integrated Consular System 6. Expansion of Consular Services

9 2) Overseas Accidents/Incidents and Responses in Diplomatic White Paper (1) Overview The number of accidents/incidents abroad in 2008 reached 5,223 cases. As the number of people traveling abroad decreased compared to 2007, the number of cases also declined by about 11%. 52% of all murders were committed in Asia and 68% of all abduction cases happened in China. This showed that accidents mainly occurred in Asia. MOFAT takes actions based on the Consular Guide on the Protection of Koreans Overseas. In response to general cases, the consul takes various measures such as visiting the scene where the accident took place and contacting the authorities concerned. Upon request, the consul notifies the case to the family or acquaintance of the requester and provides necessary administrative services should they wish to visit the scene. In response to serious cases, both MOFAT headquarters and the Korean embassy in that region define the situation while taking the appropriate actions thereof such as dispatching rapid response and rescue teams. 248 (2) Major Instances of Accidents/Incidents and the Responses Hurricane Gustav in the U.S. (September 2) Korean residents in the State of New Orleans and Louisiana suffered great damages when hurricane Gustav struck the region on September 2. Most of the 1,500 Koreans in New Orleans took shelter in the cities of Atlanta, Jackson and Alabama. The Korean consulate general in Houston assessed the situation to dispatch its consul, gave early support and requested for the cooperation of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). MOFAT headquarters dispatched a rapid response team to the scene through the link with the consular call center. The team grasped the whereabouts of the Korean nationals, attended to the injured and the dead, constantly checking the emergency network. Through cooperation with the local Korean associations, the team also provided basic necessities such as food and water to the Korean nationals taking shelter. Furthermore, the team supported the local aid teams with the help of Korean consulate posts, associations and churches in other parts of the U.S.

10 Hijacking of the Bright Ruby (September 10) The Korean ship Bright Ruby that had 22 crew members, including 8 Koreans, was hijacked by Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden on September 10. After being held hostage for 36 days, the ship was released when negotiations between the ship owner and the pirates were settled. Following the incident, MOFAT immediately established the Incident Emergency Response Headquarters. A Field Emergency Response Team was also formed at the Korean embassy in Kenya. MOFAT also held an intra-governmental meeting on September 10 with the participation of the relevant bureaus and governmental agencies. During the conference, each participant s role and detailed measures to support the ship owner were discussed in order to develop comprehensive governmental measures for the safe release of the victims. Whereas the Korean government made no concessions to individuals or groups holding Korean citizens hostage, MOFAT provided indirect aid to the ship owner by giving strategic tips on ways to settle the negotiation. These tips were based on past experiences and the advice of other governments regarding abduction cases. After the victims were released, a U.S. navy warship escorted the ship to a port in Yemen at the request of Korean government. The Bright Ruby abduction incident is often referred to as an exemplary case because it was resolved within a short period of time with all the crew members returned home safely. 6. Expansion of Consular Services Major Accidents/Incidents in Guatemala Three kidnapping cases (January 9, September 19, December 4) and six shooting accidents involving Koreans (January 18 and 19, March 18, June 13 and 30, July 5) took place in Guatemala in Whenever an accident took place, MOFAT headquarters and the Korean embassy in Guatemala formed an emergency counterplan team. The Guatemala police department (or the special criminal investigatory team) cooperated closely to solve the kidnappings and put priority on the safety of the Koreans. This was especially possible as the Korean embassy in Guatemala developed close relations with significant figures in Guatemala (the

11 president, members of the Department of the Interior, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Chief of the Police Agency). It was on account of their cooperation that we could solve the problems quickly when they occurred. On February 3, 2009, MOFAT readjusted the grade of the travel warning for Guatemala from level one to level two. This was because we judged that the public security in Guatemala had exacerbated and therefore led to more accidents Diplomatic White Paper 250 Hijacking of the Chemsta Venus (November 15) The Panamanian ship Chemsta Venus, owned by the Japanese shipping company Iino Marine Service, was hijacked by Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden on November 15, There were 23 crew members onboard that included five Koreans. The entire crew was released unharmed on February 13, 2009 after being kept hostage for 90 days. Immediately after the incident, MOFAT established the Incident Emergency Response Headquarters and designated the Director-general of the Consular Affairs Bureau as chief while a field response team was formed at the post in Japan. The chief called for an intra-governmental emergency meeting in order to respond to the crisis effectively, and the government s comprehensive response measures were formed through this. Moreover, MOFAT urged the Japanese government to take on the case with more attention, using various diplomatic routes that included the Korea-Japan Foreign Minister s Meeting, the Korea-Japan Director-generals of Consular Affairs Meeting and the meetings with the officials from Japan s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. MOFAT also established a direct link to the shipping company for information sharing and received regular notifications from the company regarding the progress of the situation. During the abduction period, MOFAT made frequent contacts with the family members of the victims and held meetings with them three times to explain the methods of threat used by the priates and the response measures and guidelines to calmly deal with them.

12 2. Promoting the Rights of Overseas Koreans 1) Introduction of the Overseas Voting System There can be no question as to whether overseas Korean nationals should be granted voting rights. The Korean Constitution stipulates that all Korean nationals have voting rights as part of their fundamental rights. Under the former Public Official Election Law, however, permanent residents in foreign countries could not participate in the domestic elections as the law limited voting rights to the Korean nationals with registered residence in Korea. Korean nationals in foreign countries as short-term visitors could not participate in the elections either, unless they returned to Korea for the Election Day. In June 2007, the Constitutional Court ruled that the regulations concerning the election law do not fully abide by the Korean Constitution and requested lawmakers to revise the regulations by the end of The efforts to legalize the voting rights of overseas Korean nationals were initially discussed in the 17th National Assembly and regularized in the current 18th National Assembly. Based on the suggestions by the relevant ministries, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Central Election Commission submitted a statement for the revision of politics-related laws, centering on the introduction of an overseas voting system. In consideration of the importance of the issue, the National Assembly formed the Special Committee for Political Reform in January 2009 to discuss the granting of voting rights to overseas Korean nationals. On January 29, 2009, the committee passed the decision to revise the election law and to introduce the overseas voting system. This system enables overseas Korean nationals to vote in presidential elections and elections for parliament members, with the voting process being conducted by the Korean diplomatic missions of the residing countries. This amendment was passed during the plenary session of the National Assembly on February 5 and officially proclaimed by the Korean government on February 12. Considering the extraordinary nature of overseas voting, the Korean government actively contributed to the process of legalizing the voting rights of overseas Korean nationals to ensure that a rational system is provided. According to the revised election law, overseas Korean nationals can take part 6. Expansion of Consular Services

13 in the parliamentary and presidential elections from During the preparatory period, the government has plans to set up infrastructures for the smooth execution of the overseas voting process and to also be ready to deal with the potential problems that may arise with the process such as frictions with the residing countries and disruptions in the overseas Korean societies. 2) Revitalization of the Committee on Overseas Koreans Policy The Committee on Overseas Koreans Policy was established in 1996, with Korean Population and Organizations Overseas 2009 Diplomatic White Paper 252 the aim to comprehensively review and coordinate the policies regarding overseas Koreans. At the committee s fourth meeting in November 2004, a decision was made to hold meetings on a regular basis for the invigoration of the committee. One or more sessions for the Plenary Committee and two or more sessions for the Working Committee were agreed to be held each year. Up to 2008, a total of eight Plenary Committee sessions and fourteen Working Committee sessions were held. The Rules and Regulations of the Committee on Overseas Koreans Policy was also revised in October 2008 to propel the committee. The revision included expanding the range of agenda items under the view of the committee jurisdiction, and increasing the number of committee

14 members from the private sector in order to ensure that the overseas Korean society is duly represented. By revitalizing the Committee on Overseas Koreans Policy, the Korean government intended to coordinate the various tasks and support projects involving overseas Koreans, which are being conducted by various government agencies. The result would then be the enhanced efficiency of operations concerning overseas Koreans policy and the further bolstering of cooperation between the various ministries. 3) Commemoration of Korean Day The Korean government designated October 5 as Korean Day in response to the interests of overseas Koreans toward their home country and also in hopes to strengthen the people s identity and pride as Koreans. Against this backdrop, the first Korean Day was held on October 5, 2007 and the second Korean Day in October Various events were held in Seoul The Second Korean Day Celebration (Seoul, October 2, 2008) throughout Korean Week such as an overseas Korean policy seminar, speech contest, photo exhibition and Korean Festival. Such events contributed greatly to the consolidation of ties between domestic and overseas Koreans. The Korean government plans to actively promote Korean Day as a means to enhance the mutual exchanges between domestic and overseas Koreans. 6. Expansion of Consular Services 4) Supporting the Resettlement of Overseas Koreans in the CIS Countries Approximately 530,000 people of Korean origin are residing in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). After the former Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, nearly 50,000 of these people left the country of their original nationality due to a variety of reasons that include the civil war in

15 2009 Diplomatic White Paper 254 Tajikistan, rise of nationalism and economic turmoil in Uzbekistan. These people are currently living illegally in other CIS countries. In 2006, the Korean government founded the Commission to Support Overseas Koreans in the CIS Region and selected the following as the commission s top five priorities: expanding the opportunities to learn the Korean language, increasing the support to study and receive training in Korea, helping the maintenance of ethnic and cultural identities, enhancing the employment opportunities in Korea and supporting the efforts to settle in local areas. In the effort to help Koreans illegally residing in the CIS countries to resettle successfully, the Korean government began providing legal assistance to these people in acquiring citizenship in late 2005 and is continuously endeavoring to enhance diplomatic cooperation with the CIS countries such as Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan. The Korean government is also developing agricultural support programs to secure the economic independence of overseas Koreans. These programs include the dispatching of agricultural experts to Ukraine to construct agricultural training facilities and to educate overseas Koreans in the region and inviting overseas Korean farmers to Korea to receive agricultural training. Since late 2008, the Korean government has also been expanding the agricultural support programs into Russia. 5) Visiting Employment System for Overseas Koreans Residing in China and the CIS Countries Overseas Koreans without Korean nationality are still endorsed by the Law on the Legal Status of Overseas Koreans, and can enjoy many benefits in living in Korea that include employment and economic activities. This law, however, does not apply to the overseas Koreans working in the manual labor sector. Consequently, a problem persistently arose in the past in that overseas Koreans from China and the CIS countries were, in reality, deprived of the privileges of this law. In order to solve this problem, the Korean government took extra measures to provide Koreans from China and the CIS countries with more opportunities to visit and work in Korea. For instance, it implemented the Employment Management System in December 2002 and the Special Employment Permit

16 System in August 2004, as alternative means to the Law on the Legal Status of Overseas Koreans. In addition, the Visiting Employment System went into effect on March 4, 2007, with an aim to simplify employment procedures by including overseas Koreans with no domestic ties to Korea on the list of candidates to visit the country. Enabling the issuance of multiple visas with five-year validities, this system is one of the active policies made to support the Koreans overseas. Accordingly, it is expected to help overseas Koreans resettle in their respective countries of origin once they return from their visit or employment in Korea. 6) Supporting Overseas Korean Communities MOFAT continues to support overseas Korean communities through the Overseas Koreans Foundation. (1) Major Activities of the Overseas Korean Foundation 6. Expansion of Consular Services

17 (2) Major Outcomes of Supporting Overseas Korean Communities 2009 Diplomatic White Paper 256 The 7th World Korean Business Convention The World Korean Business Convention is an off-line event of the Global Korean Business Network Project, which aims to build a global Korean business network in a variety of fields - commerce, industry, international trade, information technology, venture capital, science and technology - by interconnecting the overseas and domestic Korean businessmen and companies. Through the global Korean business network, overseas Korean businessmen can expand their markets through the exchanges of markets, goods and information with other overseas Koreans from different continents, countries and regions. They can also secure domestic partners or gain market information by connecting to domestic business networks. Furthermore, domestic businesses can overcome the barriers of language and market information and expand their realm of involvement overseas through the enhanced cooperation with overseas Korean companies. The 7th World Korean Business Convention, held in October 2008 at the ICC Jeju, was attended by 3,340 people from 35 countries and consummated 2,293 business consultations. The result was an effective business accomplishment worth $ 564 million, a 150% increase from the $ 376 million achieved in the previous year. Through close cooperation with local governments, the convention also hosted a business exhibition participated by 378 companies and entities. The convention especially served as an opportunity to boost the local economies. Moreover, on this occasion, a cooperation system was formed between related entities from Korea and abroad and encouraged the active participation of Korean businessmen overseas. Against this backdrop, the convention became the largest event organized by the overseas Korean communities. Building a Database to Invigorate the Korean Network The Directory of the World s Korean (Hanin) Communities was issued in order to build the basis for a Korean network, uniting the 7 million overseas Koreans into one unified community. The directory contains detailed information on 604 Korean associations in 120 different countries and has

18 categorized the details by country and continent for the convenience of Koreans in Korea and overseas. Enhancing Support for Overseas Korean Communities Since the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of Korean settlement in Mexico held in 2005, the Korean government has been pursuing the Job Training Program for Overseas Korean Youth. The program aims to foster stable economic activities for the Korean descendants in Mexico and young overseas Koreans residing in areas such as China, Sakhalin, Latin America and the CIS countries. The program also aims to strengthen various exchanges made between the Korean descendants and Korea, their mother country. As a result, 190 young people 33) from China, Latin America and the CIS countries were given job aptitude training in IT programs (Java and Web programming), automobile maintenance and electric welding in Korea. The Korean government also provided IT-related education equipment to the Korean national schools in China and the CIS countries. Moreover, by supporting 6,150 million won to 2,096 Korean language schools in 114 countries, the government contributed to maintaining the compatriots sense of Korean national identity through Korean language education. The government also invigorated overseas Korean communities by encouraging commemorative projects such as the Commemoration of the 70th Anniversary of Korean Settlement in the CIS countries. 6. Expansion of Consular Services 33) 83 from China, 10 from Primorsky Krai and Sakhalin, 40 from Central and South America, 33 from the CIS region and 24 from Mexico

19 Chapter 2. Strengthening Consular Services for Public Benefit 2009 Diplomatic White Paper Pursuing the Expansion of Visa Waiver Programs 1) Accession to the U.S. Visa Waiver Program (VWP) Since November 17, 2008, Korean citizens traveling to the U.S. for tourism, business or transit have been eligible to stay in the U.S. for up to 90 days without visas. In expanding its VWP, the U.S. government announced that seven additional nations would be permitted entry into the program, the ROK was the only non-european country to satisfy entry standards. To obtain this outcome, MOFAT worked in close cooperation with competent authorities in Korea and continuously negotiated with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. In April 2008, MOFAT of the ROK and DHS of the U.S. concluded a Memorandum Of Under-standing (MOU) on the U.S. VWP and Related Enhanced Security Measures and in June, the U.S. government dispatched an assessment team to Korea. Since August, the ROK s accession to the VWP became visible as the Korean government began U.S. Department of Homeland Security ESTA Registration Site

20 issuing electronic passports extensively in August, and the U.S. government began pilot testing for the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). Finally, the ROK satisfied all conditions required for joining the VWP by signing the Agreement on Enhancing Cooperation to Prevent and Combat Crime. As a result of Korea s entry to the VWP, U.S. citizens who visit the ROK for the purpose of tourism and business may stay in Korea up to 90 days without visas, on the basis of reciprocity. The two sides have held bilateral technical consultations to ensure the smooth operation of visa-free travel by the citizens of the two countries. Korea s accession to the VWP is expected to benefit Koreans who wish to visit the U.S., as well as promote active people-to-people exchanges, which will ultimately contribute substantially and positively to the ROK-U.S. alliance. 2) Pursuing the Expansion of Visa Waiver Programs More than 13 million Koreans visit foreign countries every year. For the convenience of Korean nationals visiting foreign countries or doing business overseas, MOFAT has already signed (88 countries, as of Feb. 2009), or is in the process of concluding Visa Waiver Agreements with many countries. As such, the Ministry will endeavor to make more agreements for visa exemption with the countries and regions which are often visited or resident by Korean people. 6. Expansion of Consular Services 2. Expansion of Reciprocal Exchange Visitor Programs 1) The ROK-U.S. WEST(Work, English Study and Travel) Program The WEST Program is the result of the agreement between the Republic of Korea and the United States government in the August 6th 2008 Summit Meeting to provide Korean university students with an opportunity to study English and gain work-based internship experiences in the U.S. On September 22, 2008, Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan of the Republic of Korea and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the WEST Program to finalize the details. The WEST Program consists of five months of initial language training,

21 2009 Diplomatic White Paper 260 followed by up to twelve months of an internship and one month travel opportunity upon completion of the internship. The internship component of WEST will assist participants in compensating their living expenses through paid internships; thus, providing a cost-effective alternative to existing costly study-abroad programs. Furthermore, we expect that the expansion of reciprocal exchanges of youths between the two countries will contribute to strengthening bilateral ties of the ROK and the U.S. in the long run. WEST Program Guide MOFAT has worked closely with the Prime Minister s Office, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, the Korean Councils of University and College Education and other primary organizations affiliated with WEST, for the successful implementation of the program. In addition, the Ministry established the Global Internship Support Center (GISC) in November 2008 to oversee the WEST program, primarily to administer the domestic process of selecting Government-Endorsed Candidates (GECs) and to coordinate with U.S. counterparts, including sponsor organizations. Thereafter, meetings with university-affiliated staff were organized and onsite college presentations on the WEST program were held at universities nationwide in order to implement the domestic process. Through these meetings and presentations as well as consultations with the U.S. government, the U.S. Department of State in particular, selection standards such as English proficiency test score, academic transcript, university recommendation, personal statement, etc. for WEST participants were established and disclosed in the official WEST public announcement in December The GECs underwent a vigorous selection process from having initial interviews with their respective universities, English interviews administered by GISC before they were confirmed as final WEST participants after having their final round of interviews and applications screened one last time by sponsors.

22 The WEST program can send up to 5,000 participants to the U.S. annually, but being at an initial stage, will run a pilot round of the program for the first half of 2009 and will operate a regular round for the second half of ) Move to Establish New Working Holiday Agreements The Ministry is deeply involved in pushing to establish Working Holiday Program Agreements with major countries and expanding the existing participant quota with countries that already have Working Holiday Programs with the Republic of Korea. This is a move to improve national competitiveness in the global arena through the expansion of exchange opportunities for Korean youths to gain a deeper understanding of various countries. As a result, MOFAT entered into agreements with the U.S. and France, setting the participant quota to 5,000 and 2,000 respectively. Apart from these efforts, MOFAT is currently in the midst of on-going discussions with Germany, Ireland and the U.K. regarding their participation to the Working Holiday Program. Furthermore, it succeeded in increasing the participant quota with existing countries that are involved in the working holiday program (Canada, Japan and New Zealand). The numbers have expanded by 5,910 in total (Canada 2,010 4,020/Japan 3,600 7,200/New Zealand 1,500 1,800) and further discussions are scheduled to expand the current quota with the participating countries. As the number of people taking part in the Working Holiday Programs is expected to rise, the Global Internship Support Center (GISC) has been established within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to support both inbound and out-bound working holiday makers and provide useful living and work information of participating countries to ensure that participants have a fulfilling and successful experience. Also, the Korean Embassies and Consulate Offices in participating countries will be working hard to provide support to our out-bound working holiday program participants in cases of accidents and emergencies. 6. Expansion of Consular Services 3. Enhancing the Quality of the Consular Services In order to meet the expectations and win the confidence of the general public, MOFAT has strived to enhance the quality of the consular services. As

23 2009 Diplomatic White Paper Consuls General Meeting (MOFAT, June 2, 2008) part of this effort, MOFAT has held consul generals meetings and strengthened the consular training sessions. MOFAT held the consuls general meeting and 53 consuls general attended this meeting on June 2, The meeting aims to increase the understanding of the new administration s foreign policies and search for an active role of Korean consulates for consular services that serve the people, creative cultural diplomacy and strengthening customer-oriented services in trade and investment assistance. In particular, they discussed ways to better protect overseas Koreans and provide good quality consular services. Consular training sessions were held for 30 hours, emphasizing the promotion of service mind, public appeals in overseas missions, protection of Korean nationals abroad, handling incident and accident overseas, controlling the situation of disasters and emergency. And it has expanded the application of the training to meet the goal, creation of service-minded organizational culture. MOFAT will consistently strive to innovate its organization culture focusing on outstanding consular services in order to gain the public s confidence in the Korean government. 4. Improving Consular Services in Overseas Missions 1) Improvement of Consular Services for Korean Nationals Abroad Overseas missions provide consular services for Korean nationals living in remote regions. The consul visits the region and offers numerous administrative

24 services such as citizen registration, passport services and notarial services. In response to the increase in Koreans activities overseas, MOFAT plans to strengthen consular services for its people abroad. 2) Research on the Satisfaction in Diplomatic Missions Consular Services MOFAT declared the year 2005 as the First Year of Advanced Diplomacy with the People and since then have continued efforts to establish a consular service system that would satisfy the Korean people. To this end, the Ministry conducted a pilot research on consumer satisfaction of consular services in 2005 and continued the research once every year until 2008, after designing a more sophisticated research method based on the results from the pilot research. Through these research results, the Ministry is endeavoring to recognize the needs of the citizens and develop high-quality consular services. 5. Improving the Consular Petition System 1) The e-consul System Since December 2004, MOFAT has been operating the e-consul System, which integrates the overseas mission network with the central government network. Such innovation has enabled overseas Koreans to receive one-stop consular services from overseas missions, more quickly and easily. A major improvement is the significant reduction in the length of time consumed, which has decreased from one week to real-time, to deal with numerous administrative services such as obtaining one s documents for family register, resident registration, records for entry into and departure from Korea, personal identification, and driver s license. As of February 2008, 139 overseas missions are connected to this e-consul System through internal networks and further expansion of these services to every Korean mission is underway. 6. Expansion of Consular Services 2) Petition Offices MOFAT has set up petition offices at overseas missions to improve consular services. In addition, opinion boxes have been placed in each petition office

25 since March 2005, to collect all complaints, recommendations and general opinions on the overall services. In this connection, MOFAT is exploring a variety of methods to provide services to more people. Furthermore, MOFAT is attempting to standardize the public/customer service procedure by reforming consular-related Public Service Protocols and issuing operation manuals for petition offices at overseas missions Diplomatic White Paper 3) Consular Petition Office at the Incheon International Airport A consular petition office is in operation at the Incheon International Airport to issue temporary passports with one year validity or to extend the validity of a passport by six months for emergency uses in the following cases: expiration of passport, passport with less than six months of validity remaining, defect or damage of the passport, or other work-related matters of urgency except tourrelated reasons. 6. Giving Information about Consular Petition 264 Website on Overseas Safe Travel MOFAT opened the Overseas Safe Travel website in December 2004 and has since provided information on overseas incidents, overseas travel and consular assistance for the security of Korean nationals. The website contains information on such matters as the data of each country, news regarding safe travel, travel warnings, passports and consular confirmation. In addition, according to the conditions of safety, 73 countries have been selected as countries with travel warnings (January 2009). Public Relations on Overseas Safe Travel As more Koreans are traveling overseas, safe travel has become more important than ever. MOFAT provides timely information for safe travel through such means as the website, broadcasts 34), brochures and posters. 34) KBS radio 1 Clobal Community Today (every Thursday), YTN World Scroll News (subtitles are displayed in real time), KBS World Korea Network (every Friday), Asiana airplane cabin magazine MOFAT, Safe Travel (information on travel safety every other month)

26 Chapter 3. Public Outreach Activities 1. Overview Recognizing that public consensus and support is essential for the success of foreign policy, MOFAT has strived to avoid one-way delivery of information and instead has embraced greater openness to strengthen two-way communication. MOFAT has been carrying out various public outreach activities both onand off-line to ensure the public s right to prompt information and to fully reflect public opinion in the formulation and implementation of foreign policies. The Ministry has also carried out activities to explain to the public how the summit diplomacy vis-a-vis the four neighboring countries has actually affected our daily lives. 6. Expansion of Consular Services 2. Direct Contact with the Public First of all, the Ministry has carried out many off-line public outreach programs such as the Visit MOFAT Program, lectures at local middle and high schools, Children s Day events and special lectures for college students. In particular, there was a remarkable increase in the number of lectures at local middle and high schools from five in 2007 to thirty-seven in By expanding opportunities for direct meetings and dialogues with the public, the Ministry has exerted efforts to further encourage the public s participation in policy making and foster public consensus on foreign policies. Furthermore, MOFAT produced a PR video and a brochure introducing the

27 MOFAT Children s Day Special Visiting Program (MOFAT, May 2, 2008) 2009 Diplomatic White Paper Ministry and explaining the new administration s foreign policy direction. These have been useful in the public outreach programs such as the Visit MOFAT Program and lectures at local middle and high schools. As for the PR brochure, it was awarded the Best PR Brochure Award of its kind at the 2008 Korea Communications Awards hosted by the Korea Business Communications Association On-line PR Activities In line with the trend of the new media age, MOFAT has expanded indirect, on-line PR activities, which enable a large number of people to access information on foreign affairs and trade in a timely manner. By posting on the MOFAT website major issues relating to foreign affairs and trade in a prompt manner, the Ministry seeks to promote a still deeper understanding amongst the netizens. In particular, the MOFAT Homepage for Teens was overhauled to provide easy-to-understand contents on various international issues, including issues relevant to foreign affairs and trade. In addition, the Ministry has established an official MOFAT blog, thereby creating an additional channel for communication with the public in response to the demands of the web 2.0 era. Furthermore, as a means of gathering public opinion MOFAT has continued to operate the PCRM 35) Integrated Management System (PIMS) through which 35)

28 Main Page of MOFAT Homepage it manages a customer database and provides the public with newsletters and policy services. In particular, to increase the number of customers and the rate of the opening of policy s, the Foreign Ministry is providing customized services and has improved the content material. 4. Policy PR on Major Issues MOFAT has made various efforts through both on- and off-line media to inform the public about the new administration s foreign policy. This includes explaining to the public how the summit diplomacy vis-a-vis the four neighboring countries - the U.S., Japan, China and Russia - has actually affected our daily lives through achieve-ments such as joining the United States Visa Waiver Program (VWP) and Work and English Study and Travel (WEST) program. The PR Brochure regarding Summit Diplomacy titiled as Diplomacy, into Daily Life 6. Expansion of Consular Services

29 2008 Public Outreach Activities 2009 Diplomatic White Paper 268

30 6. Expansion of Consular Services

31 Advisory Committee for Foreign Policy 2009 Diplomatic White Paper 270

32 6. Expansion of Consular Services Plenary Sessions