By Chung Ah-young
Staff Reporter
South Korea and Germany have agreed to cooperate in streamlining the visa issuance procedure and repatriating illegal immigrants.

The Ministry of Justice said Wednesday German Minister for Internal Affairs Otto Schily and South Korea’s Justice Minister Kim Seung-kyu will sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on the repatriation of illegal immigrants and visa issuance procedures in Seoul on Dec. 10.

Under the agreement, South Koreans will be able to apply for long-term visas even if they do not have visas and be allowed to work in Germany next year.

The two countries will also agree to cooperate in repatriating illegal immigrants with expired passports or no passports and acknowledging them as the counterpart’s nationals only with other identification.

This is the first time South Korea will sign an accord with other countries on the repatriation of illegal immigrants in an effort to reduce their presence in Korea through bilateral agreements with the illegal immigrants’ countries.

The MOU will clarify that South Koreans may apply for a long-term extension visa while in Germany without a prior visa.

It is designed to streamline complicated procedures because under the current system, South Koreans have been permitted to stay in Germany without a visa for only up to 90 days and required to return to Seoul to obtain a long-term visa through the German Embassy.

Under the agreement, family members of Korean students will also be allowed to work in Germany except for in sectors requiring certification or speculative business.

The accord also relieves commission charges in issuing visas with multiple purposes for businessmen and students.

``Under the agreement, our people will be treated the same as other people from advanced countries, improving Koreans’ status in European countries as well,’’ a Justice Ministry official said.

Germany has this agreement with other advanced nations such as the United States, Japan, Canada and Australia as well as other countries in the European Union.

chungay@koreatimes.co.kr