World Refugee Day 2025 celebrated in Seoul
Refugees and supporters pose together for the fourth annual “Shall We Walk?” festival at Munhwa Jeongwon Art Hall in southwestern Seoul, June 15. Courtesy of Bereket Alemayehu
By Bereket Alemayehu
Refugees in Korea and their supporters gathered at the Munhwa Jeongwon Art Hall in southwestern Seoul's Geumcheon District for the 4th annual “Shall We Walk?” festival on Sunday, in anticipation and celebration of World Refugee Day 2025, which is observed globally on June 20.
As of early 2025, there are about 123 million forcibly displaced people worldwide, organizers from NGO Refugee pNan said at the event. That number includes refugees, asylum seekers, internally displaced people and others in need of international protection. Among them, about 40 million are people who have fled their countries and sought protection abroad or in refugee camps.
The organizers pointed out that Korea is a signatory to the Refugee Convention and has its own Refugee Act, but Korea's recognition rate remains very low, and the process takes an extremely long time. Refugees who come to Korea fleeing persecution in their home countries face a slow, uncertain process here.
"Refugees are not a special kind of people. They are ordinary people just like us. When any of us go through the hardships of suffering, we are all refugees," Abraham Ho-taeg Lee, executive director of Refugee pNan, said in his opening remarks.
“What refugees need is a place of refuge. A refuge is not a special location. It is our warm hands extended to neighbors in need. If refugees have a warm refuge, then they are no longer refugees. Today, we are here to hold each other’s hands and walk together. We are here to reach out with warmth and become a refuge for one another.”
Christine Kyomugisha, a Ugandan refugee and single mother, came up with the event's slogan, “It's okay to be a refugee.”
"I am a refugee, which means I survived, and I can create a future," she said in a heart-touching speech.
“I didn't just escape, but I had to escape a thousand memories until I had put enough time and distance between my misery, to wake up to a better day. We refugees are mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers and children. We have the same hopes and ambitions as other people out there, except that a twist of fate has bound our lives to a global crisis on an unprecedented scale. Refugees are you and I with different circumstances. I never chose to leave my country. Thinking about it upsets my life, ripping out my heart and soul. That I left all the people I knew and loved so deeply."
She encouraged people to never give up.
"I have fallen so many times in life. If I fall nine times, I stand up 10. Always have this in mind," she said. "No person is illegal. For parents like me, nothing you do for your children is ever wasted. Risk the down payment for success. And don't forget, Jesus was a refugee.”
Christine Kyomugisha, a Ugandan refugee and single mother, speaks at the fourth annual “Shall We Walk?” festival at Munhwa Jeongwon Art Hall in southwestern Seoul, June 15. Courtesy of Bereket Alemayehu
Janak Dewan, secretary of the Jumma People’s Network - Korea (JPNK), a refugee community based in Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province, shared his journey and reflections as a Jumma refugee from India.
“Our people have been in Korea since 1994," he said. "We are about 200 members, including families, children and bachelors. I came to today’s event representing our people, along with some of my friends,” he told The Korea Times.
He emphasized the importance of events like World Refugee Day not just as celebrations, but as acknowledgments of identity, struggle and resilience.
“Celebrating Refugee Day is important because it recognizes who we are and the problems we face, both locally and globally," he said. "It's always an honor to see many people from different countries and communities. Being a refugee, if I look at my present situation, I haven’t been granted refugee status yet. So that makes me feel a little sad, not being recognized. But I don’t want to give up. I am hopeful that someday the government will understand our issues, focus on the refugee problems and find a solution so that we can live here permanently, as a part of this country.”
Janak Dewan, secretary of the Jumma People’s Network - Korea (JPNK), attends the fourth annual “Shall We Walk?” festival at Munhwa Jeongwon Art Hall in southwestern Seoul, June 15. Courtesy of Bereket Alemayehu
The festival brought together around 200 participants, including over 100 foreign refugees. It was adorned by vibrant cultural performances, including traditional dances by the Jumma people, a K-pop performance by Myanmar refugee students, songs by Congolese refugees known as “Strong Africa” and heartfelt speeches from refugees representing Myanmar, Ethiopia and Uganda.
Refuge pNan has been organizing annual events every June 20 to commemorate World Refugee Day, aiming to raise awareness of refugees among Korean citizens, foster understanding and encourage solidarity. Since 2022, the “Shall We Walk?” campaign has expanded these efforts by not only inviting Korean citizens to participate, but also by placing refugees at the center of the celebration. The campaign’s purpose is to create a festival where refugees can take pride in their resilience and identity, rather than focusing solely on the hardships they face.
“Shall We Walk?” is designed as a space for both refugees and Korean citizens to interact, share experiences and walk together — symbolizing the journey and support that refugees receive as they build new lives in Korea. While the event originally involved outdoor walks and team activities in parks, this year’s event was held indoors due to weather conditions. Nevertheless, the core message remained: walking together means standing alongside refugees and accompanying them on their journey in Korean society.
Bereket Alemayehu is an Ethiopian photo artist, social activist and writer based in Seoul. He's also a freelance contributor for Pressenza Press Agency and the co-founder of Hanokers, a refugee-led social initiative.