The United States Social Security Administration (SSA) has resolved an issue regarding two South Korean immigrants who were given the same social security number after years of bureaucratic headaches.
Jieun Kim, a 31-year-old Los Angeles resident, told NBC News that the SSA had informed her that the original social security number she received in 2018 would remain, while Jieun Kim, who is also 31 but lives in a suburb in Chicago, will receive a brand new one.
“The agency moved quickly to resolve it once both cases were brought to our attention. Part of the agency’s mission is to resolve cases such as this,” SSA spokesperson Jeff Nesbit said in a statement, adding that the personal information in their document and income histories, which were merged under the identical social security numbers, have now been separated accordingly.
Speaking to NBC News, Kim from Chicago said she was nervous when she first heard that the SSA director office was calling, thinking that something went wrong with their complaint.
Her fear was eased when the director, whom she previously spoke with, informed her that her new social security card was in the mail, along with an explanation about the problem. The director also apologized on behalf of the organization.
The circumstances were different for L.A. Kim, however. She told NBC News that the SSA only informed her of the recent update but never offered an apology and left her to deal with the fallout.
“I am not totally happy because I am still left with having to deal with so many problems, including issues with the IRS, because of the SSA’s mistake,” she said, adding that she is now in the process of resuming the green card application process.
Fortunately, a spokesperson from the office of Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D, CA-34) said they are aware of the situation and are willing to help her.
The incident started after both Kims received the same social security number only months apart in 2018 — L.A. Kim got hers on June 18,…
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