Notification from the Ministry of Interior on Opinions Relating to Marriages between Chinese People and Korean Women

(58) Internal Civil [Affairs] No. 750

[To] All Provincial, Autonomous Region, and Municipal Civil Administration Departments (Bureaus):

Regarding the procedure for Chinese individuals who marry [North] Korean women, in the past many localities had asked for the Central Committee’s approval. For one case an individual may have applied several times, documents and reports have gone back and forth [between different offices], and [the procedure] ends up taking a very long time. Therefore, the Consular Affairs Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has studied the issue and is drafting [a document entitled] “Internal Opinions on Marriages between Chinese [Men] and [North] Korean Women” specifically for your reference in handling these issues.

Attachment: “Internal Opinions on Marriages between Chinese [Men] and [North] Korean Women”

Ministry of the Interior of the People’s Republic of China

18 October 1958

Internal Opinions on Marriages between Chinese [Men] and [North] Korean Women

Due to the shortage of laborers in [North] Korea, the [North] Korean government more strictly controls marriages between Koreans and foreigners. Our country must cooperate with [North] Korea on this policy and adopt certain measures [to support North Korea’s views]. This is in the interest of both of our two countries. Therefore, if in the future [North] Korean women request to come to China and marry Chinese, we will, in principle, strictly control [these requests]. We should also strengthen education [regarding these issues] for active military service personnel and government cadres. The specific details are as follows:

(1) Military personnel, diplomatic personnel, and personnel of vital departments cannot marry foreigners.

(2) For current personnel of other organizations, contract groups, schools, industries and factories (including military personnel who have changed careers and currently work in the above units) who request to marry [North] Korean women, we should try to dissuade them. If dissuasion fails and they insist on marrying [North Korean women], then we can allow them to proceed with the marriage.

(3) In order to account for the shortage of laborers in [North] Korea, for those marriages that we do approve, if the woman has work in [North] Korea or if the man can find work in [North] Korea, we should encourage the man to go to [North] Korea and settle there. However, the man should first apply to local public security organs for permission to leave [China]. With approval for entry from the [North] Korean government, then the man can travel to [North] Korea. If the woman insists on coming to China, the woman should first apply for approval from the [North] Korean government after which we would then allow them to enter and reside [in China] (see item four for specific procedures). For [North] Korean women that have illegally crossed the border for marriage, in principle we will repatriate all of them. However, those who have special circumstances and cannot be repatriated can be approved for marriage and residency in China, and they should be registered and managed in accordance with foreign national [regulations].

(4) Specific procedures for approving [North] Korean women to come to China for marriage: First, the man must complete an application for marriage (one style two copies). [The man’s] work unit should pay attention to this matter and provide approval if applicable (mainly this is to examine if the man has been truthful, if he is remarrying, if his work position is appropriate for marriage with foreigners, etc.). After the marriage has been approved by the leader of his work unit, immediately send a copy of the application back to the man so that he may send it to the woman. The woman will then use [the paperwork from the man] to apply to the Supreme People’s Assembly Standing Committee for approval of the marriage. One copy of the application should be handed to our embassy in [North] Korea (the letter should say: From the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Beijing Office to the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in [North] Korea). After the woman receives approval for marriage and a passport from the [North] Korean government, the Chinese Embassy in [North] Korea can then issue entry visas according to the approval of the marriage as provided by the relevant organizations within our country.

After the woman comes to China, she should apply for marriage registration and abide by the stipulations of Chinese marriage laws.