북한의 신분등록․공민등록․주민등록제도 - 가족관계등록을 중심으로 -

This paper sought to identify whether a system akin to South Korea's family registration system exists in North Korea, and then make a comparative analysis of the two systems. In order to identify the family relations of North Korean citizens, one must understand not only identity registration systems, but also citizen and resident registration systems. This is because the citizen and resident registration systems contain family information that is not listed on identity registration. Identity registration is a system where citizens update changes in their status on a national system, reflecting changes such as marriage, divorce, birth, death, adoption, end of adoption, etc. A citizen registration system contains birth registration in addition to items such as residence and eviction, giving it a connection with the identity registration system. The citizen registration system also contains registered information regarding items such as gender, birthdate, place of birth, residence, occupation and marital status; these connect it to the civil registration system. Resident registration system is expanded and refined versions of identity registration system, tracking and recording the actions of an individual and his/her family from the past to the present in a systematic manner. Based on these records, citizens are organized into groups. Hence, while North Korea does possess identity, citizen and resident registrations in name, it is more natural to understand its system as an all-in-one type. The differences in the family registration systems of North and South Korea are as follows. First, there is a difference of purpose. In North Korea, family registration is aimed at citizen control rather than confirmation of familial relationships. In contrast, the South Korean system primarily aims to verify said relationships. Second, South Korea has a separate system for family registration and civil registration. In contrast, North Korea has one system that oversees identity, citizen and civil registration. Third, the organizations that oversee the system are different. South Korea's family registration system is overseen by the Korean Supreme Court; North Korea's system is overseen by the People's Security Department, which is also the public peacekeeping body. Fourth, while both Koreas organize the relevant data, North Korea's basic unit of organization is the family, while South Korea's basic unit is the individual. North Korea, in addition to this, organizes data according to events; when an event such as birth or marriage occurs, one's identity is registered accordingly. Fifth, due to differences in the family laws of North and South Korea, there are differences in the identity registration content. North Korea's registration does not contain clauses regarding children born out of wedlock, parental rights, guardianship of minors or missing persons. North Korea also does not have the concept of "family clans" (bon) regarding last names.