Suwon City Civil Servant's Dedication Grants "Existence" to Citizen Without Official Records

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Jung Jun-sung] A citizen who did not exist in either the resident registration system or family relationship registration records has been recognized as having "existence" after 60 years, with the help of a veteran team leader at Suwon City.

According to Suwon Special City on the 13th, Kang Mo-ssi, a resident of Suwon, was born in 1964, but after his parents failed to file a birth certificate, he was sent to relatives' homes, moved between relatives' houses during childhood, and was later placed in a childcare facility. After leaving the facility, he lived alone without a fixed residence.

Naturally, without resident registration, he was unable to access basic social services such as health insurance, welfare, and financial services, and could not find proper employment.

As a result, Kang's lifelong wish was to live an ordinary daily life like others.

He visited various administrative agencies to establish a family registry but received only responses that "registration is difficult," eventually giving up on everything and living for decades.

Then in August of last year, Kang visited Kim Kyung-sook, Veteran Team Leader at the Saebit Civil Affairs Office at Suwon City Hall. Without much hope, but grasping at straws, he poured out his life story and struggles.

After hearing Kang's story, Team Leader Kim carefully confirmed his living conditions and factual circumstances. However, as Kang said, since no birth certificate had been filed, there was no resident registration or family relationship registration. Kim sought support measures to restore his legal status.

Veteran Team Leader Kim Kyung-sook guided Kang through the family relationship registration establishment procedure and maintained coordination with relevant agencies. Beginning in September of last year with a petition for a "decision allowing establishment of name and lineage" at Suwon Family Court, the journey to family relationship registration began.

He connected Kang with legal professionals for consultation and supported the legal procedures for establishing family relationship registration. From preparing documents to submit to the court to attending hearings, Team Leader Kim was with Kang through every step, always by his side whenever he visited Suwon Family Court, the district office, or the administrative welfare center.

Finally, on June 18th, Suwon Family Court approved the "decision to allow establishment of family relationship registration."

On June 24th, he filed the establishment report and registered for a new resident registration.

After recovering his legal status after 60 years, Kang received a resident registration card and can now exercise the basic rights of a Republic of Korea citizen, as well as access welfare services, medical services, and conduct financial transactions.

Kang said, "I visited various government offices for a long time to establish a family registry but ultimately failed and became discouraged. With the help of the Veteran Team Leader, I finally received my resident registration card," and added, "Now I can live like a human being." He continued, "I will never forget this grace," and asked that his gratitude be conveyed to Mayor Lee Jae-joon of Suwon City.