[ADVICE] Mixed family with kids - Korean Name vs Latin American Name

Hello and Greetings.

I am a Mexican National (man) who Married a Korean 8 years ago, we met in Montreal, CA, and we got married in Mexico and lived there for around 7 years.

We have 2 kids, all born in Mexico, a boy and a girl. As you may now, in Latin America the women don't change their last name when they get Married, and the kids have both last names of the parents.

Example: Name - Middle Name -Dad's Last Name and Mother's Last Name. (That is the regural way of naming)

We have come to korea regulary for vacations so the kids and my wife spend time with my inlaws (Usually she stays alone with the kids for 2 months, while I have to go back because of my job)

In one of those trips, she decided to Nationalize the kids in Korea.

I know because I am a foreigner, the kids need to be brought into My wife's family side. What I didn't know is that the Kids didnt keep their full name. So in Korea, their name is like this: Name - Mother's Last Name.

I didn't mind, mostly because we were living in Mexico, but since the begining of this year (2014), we came to live to Korea and I put both of my kids in school, (The older girl is 6 years old - American age) and one day she came to the house telling. "Papa Kim, Papa Kim" so I told her that It is not my name. hehehe, then she told me "But My last name is Kim, so it means that you are Kim, no?"

I explained her name and she understood. But next day, after coming from school she called me Kim again, and she told me that in the school they teach them their names and that is why I am Kim.

I find it funny, but at the same time It makes me think. "Can this become an Issue?, or am I just worrying for no reason?"

And speaking of legal stuff, Will it be a problem in the future?, They are almost 2 different names.

We plan to stay here in Korea for around 6 years.

So, What do you Think?

BTW, the first name of both of my kids is Korean, so in Korea their full name is Korean.

Re: [ADVICE] Mixed family with kids - Korean Name vs Latin ...

I'm not sure whether legally there would be any issues, but I think it would be possible to correct their names so that your children bear your last name in their Korean documents. I would assume that by now the country's systems and databases would allow for names longer than the usual 2, 3 or 4 letters to accommodate, for example, 나바레떼 지연 or 가르씨아 지훈.