PersonKR

Jung Sung-ho

South Korea's justice minister, who oversees immigration and visa policy.

Last refreshed: 11 July 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic

Key Question

Why did South Korea make its workation visa a demographic policy tool?

Timeline for Jung Sung-ho

#1029 Jun

framed the visa around 'putting down roots'

Nomads & Communities: South Korea makes nomad visa permanent

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Common Questions

Who is Jung Sung-ho?

Jung Sung-ho is South Korea's Minister of Justice, appointed by President Lee Jae-myung, and a former human-rights lawyer and five-term National Assembly member.Source: Lowdown

Why did Jung Sung-ho make the F-1-D visa permanent?

Jung framed the 30 June change around foreigners voluntarily putting down roots, steering Visa holders into depopulating provinces.Source: Lowdown

Does South Korea's justice minister control immigration policy?

Yes. South Korea's Ministry of Justice runs immigration through the Korea Immigration Service, giving the justice minister authority over Visa rules.Source: Lowdown

Background

South Korea's justice minister Jung Sung-ho made the F-1-D "workation" Visa permanent on 30 June, framing it around foreigners "voluntarily putting down roots" rather than filling a labour gap. The change closes a pilot that ran from January 2024 and raises the maximum stay from two to three years.

Jung was appointed justice minister by President Lee Jae-myung and previously worked as a human-rights and labour lawyer before five terms in the National Assembly. The Ministry of Justice runs immigration policy through the Korea Immigration Service, giving Jung direct authority over the Visa's new income thresholds.

Those thresholds now steer young arrivals toward South Korea's depopulating provinces rather than pricing access by income alone, a demographic tool distinct from every other nomad Visa this briefing tracks.