(1) An alien who was a national of the Republic of Korea may acquire the nationality of the Republic of Korea by obtaining permission to recover nationality from the Minister of Justice.
(2) The Minister of Justice shall not allow any of the following persons to recover his or her nationality, after screening a person who has applied for the recovery of nationality: <Amended on Dec. 19, 2017>
1. A person who has inflicted harm on the State or society;
2. A person whose conduct is disorderly;
3. A person who lost or renounced his or her nationality of the Republic of Korea in order to evade military service;
4. A person the recovery of whose nationality is deemed inappropriate by the Minister of Justice for the purposes of national security, maintenance of order, or public welfare.
(3) A person whose nationality is recovered under paragraph (1) shall acquire the nationality of the Republic of Korea at the time he or she takes an oath of citizenship before the Minister of Justice and is granted a certificate of recovery of nationality: Provided, That if it is deemed that a person cannot understand the meaning of an oath of citizenship or has difficulty in expressing the matters he or she has understood due to age, a physical or mental disability, or other reasons, the Minister of Justice may exempt him or her from taking an oath of citizenship. <Amended on Dec. 19, 2017>
(4) The Minister of Justice may require the head of a regional immigration office or the head of a diplomatic mission abroad to act on his or her behalf in receiving an oath of citizenship and granting a certificate of recovery of nationality under the main clause of paragraph (3) and in exempting a person from taking an oath of citizenship under the proviso of the same paragraph, as prescribed by Presidential Decree. <Newly Inserted on Dec. 19, 2017>
(5) Matters necessary for the procedures for filing an application, examination thereof, taking an oath of citizenship, granting a certificate of recovery of nationality, performing such duty as an agent, etc. under paragraphs (1) through (4) shall be prescribed by Presidential Decree. <Amended on Dec. 19, 2017>
(6) Article 8 shall apply mutatis mutandis to the concurrent acquisition of nationality, as a result of the recovery of nationality. <Amended on Dec. 19, 2017>[This Article Wholly Amended on Mar. 14, 2008]