If I get Korean nationality, do I have to give up my original nationality?

Yes, in principle you do. If you got Korean nationality through naturalization or nationality restoration, you must renounce your original nationality within 1 year from the day you got it.

If you do not renounce it within 1 year, you lose Korean nationality when that period ends. But in the cases below, you can make a 'Pledge Not to Exercise Foreign Nationality' (외국국적불행사 서약) instead of renouncing your original nationality. This pledge is a promise not to use your foreign nationality in Korea. If you make the pledge, you can in effect keep both nationalities.

💡 Cases where you do not have to renounce your nationality

• Marriage naturalized persons who keep a normal marriage
• Excellent talents and persons of special merit
• People who were adopted by a foreigner as a minor and then got permission for nationality restoration
• People who entered Korea to settle permanently after age 65 and got permission for nationality restoration
• People who find it hard to renounce nationality because of foreign laws or systems

⚠️ Things to note

• You can make the pledge only at the nationality desk (국적계) of an immigration office or foreigner office inside Korea. You cannot make it at a Korean embassy or consulate abroad (재외공관).
• If you break the pledge, you will get a nationality selection order (국적선택명령). Then you must choose one nationality within 6 months. If you do not choose, you lose Korean nationality.
• Even if you lost Korean nationality after the 1 year, you can get it back by a nationality reacquisition report (국적재취득신고) if you renounce your original nationality within 1 year from the day you lost it.

Be sure to check whether you can make the pledge at HiKorea (hikorea.go.kr) or the Foreigner Helpline (외국인종합안내센터, 1345).