Removal of "Stepfather" and "Spouse's Child" Labels from Resident Registration Certificates... Consideration for Remarried Families

Enforcement of the Revised Resident Registration Act Begins October 29
Improved to Protect Children in Remarried Families from Disclosure

Starting from the 29th of next month, references indicating the relationship to the head of household—such as "stepfather" or "spouse's child"—will no longer appear on resident registration certificates and copies. The government has decided to implement this change due to concerns that sensitive personal information, such as remarriage, could be exposed.

On September 9, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, and the Korea Healthy Family Promotion Agency signed a work agreement at the Government Complex Seoul to coincide with the enforcement of the amended Enforcement Decree of the Resident Registration Act, which takes effect on the 29th of next month.

Through this agreement, the agencies plan to jointly promote the revised resident registration notation using 245 family centers nationwide, thereby increasing public awareness of the change in the system.

Previously, in the case of remarried households, the resident registration documents marked the relationship to the head of household as "spouse's child," raising concern that personal and sensitive information, such as remarriage, could be disclosed.

Accordingly, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety has improved the system so that, except for the spouse of the head of household, legally recognized family members (such as children or parents) are categorized as "household members," while others are recorded as "cohabitants." This change is aimed at strengthening the protection of sensitive privacy issues in remarried households.

Additionally, the method of listing "spouse’s child" after "child" has been revised to prevent unnecessary distinctions among family members. However, to reduce inconvenience for the public, individuals can choose to have detailed family relationships recorded as before, only if they specifically request it.

The revised Enforcement Decree of the Resident Registration Act, containing these changes, will take effect on the 29th of next month.

The three organizations will continue to share social challenges and difficulties experienced by various family types, such as remarried families, and will cooperate in further improving the resident registration system in the future.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.