Illegal Foreign Residents Face Tougher Regulations
By Park Si-soo
Staff Reporter
The Ministry of Justice said Thursday it will intensify its investigations into illegal foreign residents in Korea over the next five years, a move to counter their growing numbers and recent moves to seek political support.
The ministry aims to deport at least half them during the period, thus reducing their numbers to below 10 percent of all foreigners here from the current 19.3 percent.
``Recently, illegal residents have attempted to form unions to call for their right to stay and even participated in political activities,'' the ministry said in a statement.
Court rulings in recent years have been supportive of the human rights of illegal residents, affirming their right to form labor unions and receive compensation for injuries sustained at workplaces.
The ministry stated such decisions have conveyed the notion that the law can be taken lightly and illegal residents tolerated. Employers also took advantage of their illegal status to make layoffs easier, it said.
There are 223,229 foreigners overstaying their visa in Korea out of the entire foreign population of 1.16 million, the ministry said. Those whose illegal sojourn here has surpassed four years account for 43 percent, it said.
``Many come from China and Southeast Asia, as salaries here are 10 times as much as they receive at home, and the quality of life and the educational environment is relatively better,'' the ministry said.