Yi Whan-woo is a Korea Times journalist primarily covering finance. He writes in-depth articles on macroeconomy and financial markets and previously covered sports, politics, diplomacy and inter-Korean affairs, among others. Feel free to contact him at yistory@koreatimes.co.kr.
Illegal aliens given grace period to surrender themselves
By Yi Whan-woo
The Korea Immigration Service (KIS) will offer a grace period from Sept. 17 to Nov. 30 for immigrants with forged passports or expired visas to report themselves to the authorities.
The KIS said Monday that foreign residents who show up voluntarily during the 75-day period will be allowed to re-enter the country with legal passports six months after deportation.
It added that those who fail to report themselves, however, will be prohibited from visiting the country for 10 years after they are eventually caught and forced out.
“We have introduced the policy to reduce the number of illegal immigrants and for better control of the foreign population,” said Kim Jae-nam, a deputy director of the investigation division at the KIS.
Among the 1.45 million foreigners as of Aug. 31, the number of illegal immigrants with expired visas is 174,058. Kim said it’s actually higher considering that a number of other foreign residents who were previously deported snuck back into the country with forged identities, mainly names and dates of birth.
“The thing that makes it difficult is that their passports were issued legally back in their respective homelands, as those countries easily allow an individual to change one’s name and even age,” Kim said.
“From our point of view, however, those passports are illegal, as we require anyone who was forced to leave here in the past to submit documents that show such changes occurred. And almost all of those passport holders fail to follow the regulation.”
Those considered illegal aliens by the KIS will be asked to report to any of its 15 branch offices across the country.
Illegal foreign residents who are senior citizens, pregnant or unable to travel will have their cases reviewed when their condition improves.
Individuals on the wanted list by local or international law enforcement agencies, however, will be deported immediately without permission for re-entry even if they turn themselves in voluntarily.
The KIS estimates most of the illegal immigrants are Korean-Chinese, followed by Chinese and nationals of Southeast Asian countries.