Nam Hyun-woo has worked as a staff writer at The Korea Times since 2013, mostly covering business and politics. He currently belongs to the Business Desk where he covers topics such as emerging tech, AI, ICT and Korea's chaebol community. Prior to joining the team, he was the paper's correspondent for the presidential office of Korea during the Yoon Suk Yeol and Moon Jae-in administrations.
Korea starts mission to evacuate Afghans
U.S. service members prepare to board evacuees onto a C-17 Globemaster lll at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, Aug. 22. EPA-Yonhap
By Nam Hyun-woo
Afghans here to be allowed to overstay visas
By Nam Hyun-woo
Korea is working to evacuate Afghans who helped the Korean government's activities there, rescuing them from the Taliban-controlled country, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, Tuesday.
The ministry said in a text message to reporters that “three military aircraft have been deployed to Afghanistan and neighboring countries on a mission to evacuate those who helped the Korean government's activities in Afghanistan.”
The ministry added the Afghans to be rescued had worked for years at the Korean embassy as well as Korea-led hospitals and job training centers there, without elaborating further on the details of the mission.
The move came after growing concerns of potential Taliban retaliation against Afghans who supported the U.S. or other countries.
On Monday, National Security Office Director Suh Hoon dropped hints at South Korea's efforts to evacuate those Afghans, saying “we have a national responsibility to secure a safe haven for those who supported Korea's activities in Afghanistan,” adding “the government is making necessary efforts.”
The ministry did not disclose the number of people to be evacuated, but the ruling Democratic Party of Korea Chairman Rep. Song Young-gil said on Sunday the number was around 400.
In the meantime, a suggestion made by the U.S. to house Afghan evacuees in U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) bases here appears to have been scrapped.
“As of now, Korea is not included in a number of countries where Afghan evacuees will be housed,” a Cheong Wa Dae official said.
Reuters also reported that the U.S. has decided against the idea of using its largest overseas military bases in South Korea and Japan to house Afghan refugees temporarily, citing unidentified sources.
On Monday, the government confirmed that it had “a rudimentary discussion” with the U.S. on the possibility of accepting Afghan evacuees here, but added that the discussion did not move forward.
Regarding the plan, some members of the Korean public expressed concerns over COVID-19 infections, the possibility of radical Islamists among the evacuees and costs incurred from operating refugee camps. Heavyweight politicians of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea also showed caution, saying the government must be prudent in making such decisions.
Justice Minister Park Beom-kye visits the National Human Rights Commission of Korea in central Seoul, Aug. 19. Yonhap
The Korean government is also expected to grant special stay permits to Afghans sojourning here, as part of a humanitarian move for those whose safety could be threatened if they return to their homeland.
Justice Minister Park Beom-kye said that the ministry is considering allowing them to overstay their visas, as it did for people from Myanmar here after a military coup took place in their country in February.
“At the time of the Myanmar coup, we applied some rules about granting them special stay permits, and I believe we can adopt the same rules for Afghans this time,” Park told reporters.
In March, the government granted special stay permits to approximately 25,000 Myanmar nationals in Korea. At the time, the government granted temporary stay permits to those whose visas were about to expire, and decided not to forcibly deport those who could not acquire the permit for various reasons, and instead encourage them to leave voluntarily after the situation in their home country improves.
According to the ministry, there are already 417 Afghans residing in Korea as of July, and 120 of them will see their period of stay expiring this year. Most of them are here for the purpose of diplomacy, study or other training.