On 19 December 2008, the Commission held a “Forum on the Research on Human Rights of Refugees in Korea.” The purpose of the forum was to gain understanding of the rights of refugees in Korea and seek ways to improve the current conditions by looking at the findings of the research conducted in May 2008.
The research comprised surveys and in-depth interviews of more than 300 asylum seekers, authorized refugees, and humanitarian status holders in Korea.
According to the research, refugees residing in Korea received little aid in terms of legal and translation assistance during the application and interview processes. It also found that applicants waited over one year on average to have an interview. Moreover, some of them were held in long-term custody due to illegal employment and was not provided with basic welfare support or social integration programs from the government.
In conclusion, due process must be observed in the refugee status determination procudre and detention of asylum seekers should only be made in exceptional cases. The government must also guarantee the right to work or basic life support and recognize those in need of basic welfare support.
Findings of the research are as follows:
1) Refugee Application and Examination Process
According to the research, 51.5% received no legal aid during the application process. Those who received aid from NGOs accounted for 16.7% and from church or pro bono lawyers accounted for 8.1%.
As to the waiting period from application to interview, 24.2% have been waiting for over one year to have an interview. 21.6% had interviews within one month from the application and 15.9% had interview either at the point of application or within one week.
When asked about whether they read and confirmed the content of any written records before signing them during the interview, only 47.7% answered that the content of the document was explained to them before signing. 23.3 % were informed of the content by officials or interpreters whereas 12.4% were not informed of the content but signed it because they were asked to. Finally, 7.3% responded that they were neither informed of the document or did they sign.
And 69.5% did not request for an interpreter and 11.3% were provided with one without making a request.
Of those whose refugee applications were rejected, 55.2% received feedback in written form as to why their applications were rejected, but 44.8% did not receive any feedback..
2) Living Conditions in Korea
On health problems, 24.4% suffered from anxiety and nervousness, 17.6% from depression, 15.9% from headaches and dizziness, 11.4% from insomnia, and 10.2% from indigestion and other stomach disorders.
On medical insurance, 81.4% did not have any kind of insurance, but 4.7% had membership in the Mutual Medical Relief Association run by a private organization.
Asked on the difficulties they face in family reunion, 66.7% of the recognized refugees responded that obtaining a visa from the Korean embassy was the most difficult problem. Others included financial difficulty in purchasing flight tickets (16.7%) and issuing passport (12.5%).
On reasons why they did not choose their neighboring countries to seek shelter, 26.0% did not feel safe in neighboring countries from their home, and 23.5% replied that the neighboring countries were even more dangerous than their home country. Also, 12.5% responded that their neighboring countries were inhospitable for refugees.
On the channels through which they obtained information on refugee application process, 28.1% answered that they obtained the information from a friend or an acquaintance, 24.2% from the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and 16.2% from the Ministry of Justice or an immigration office. No respondent had obtained any information from an airport upon arrival in Korea.
Asked on the birth registration of child born in Korea, seven respondents answered that their child were issued an alien registration card as the same nationality as him/herself at an immigration office under the Ministry of Justice. Six answered that they registered the child at their own embassy and another six only had birth certificates issued by the hospital in which their child was born. Three said that their child was registered as stateless although they did receive an alien registration card from an immigration office.
