Lee Hyo-jin covers the Bank of Korea, the banking industry and broader financial news. Her previous beats include foreign affairs, North Korea and general reporting on Korean society.
INTERVIEW UNHCR Korea chief stresses fairness over speed in refugee screening
Jun Hai-kyung, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Korea representative, speaks during an interview with The Korea Times at the UNHCR office in central Seoul, Friday. Courtesy of UNHCR
By Lee Hyo-jin
Expert calls for comprehensive review of Korea's asylum policies
By Lee Hyo-jin
Obtaining refugee status in Korea is often likened to a camel passing through the eye of a needle.
Since Korea began to accept refugees in 1994, a total of 1,338 people were granted refugee status by 2022, constituting a tiny portion of some 85,000 applicants, according to data from the Ministry of Justice. Last year, only 175 out of 11,539 asylum seekers were accepted, translating into an acceptance rate of just 2 percent.
That is why Korea ― Asia's fourth-largest economy and a leading democracy ― is often criticized for being harsh in its treatment of asylum seekers.
However, Jun Hai-kyung, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Korea representative, is quite positive. Rather than criticizing the country's policies, she called for a holistic review of the refugee system, based on how it can change for the better.
She sees this year, which marks the 10th anniversary of the enactment of the Refugee Law established in 2013, as a perfect time for the country to reflect on the past.
“When Korea drafted the initial law 10 years ago, maybe they didn't think that they would have this many people come in. Today, we are where we are. Ten years can be a long time, but it could also be a short time,” she said during an interview with The Korea Times, Friday, just days ahead of World Refugee Day which falls on June 20.
“I think it's a good timing now for the Korean government to look at the system holistically. We have to look into what worked, what did not work and then make the right adjustments.”
Jun is a refugee expert who has over two decades of experience in the U.N. She took office in November 2022, becoming the first Korean national to head the U.N. refugee body in Seoul.
UNHCR Representation in the Republic of Korea works closely with related government bodies ― the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Human Rights Commission of Korea ― as well as the National Assembly and civic groups. By doing so, the U.N. organization offers technical support and recommendations to the government on its refugee policies, including status determination and resettlement programs.
Among other recommendations, Jun emphasized the need for a “fair and effective” refugee determination system.
Such a system is crucial for the applicants who currently have to wait a few months, if not years, to go through a screening process conducted by the justice ministry, she said. Also, a fair system would reduce prejudices held by some members of the public that the refugee system is being abused.
“Some people talk about 'fair and fast,' but I would prefer 'fair and effective.' Being fast is good, but it's not the priority. We want to emphasize the fair and effective part of the process.”
Tackling negative public sentiment toward refugees is another task for the Korean government and civil society. Those who oppose accepting refugees often cite fears of an increase in crime or economic burden as reasons.
People protest against the government's granting of humanitarian stay permits for asylum seekers during a rally held in downtown Seoul in this September 2018 file photo. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk
“If you think of the population of Korea, the chance of a Korean to talk to a refugee in real life is like near zero. So whatever kind of concept people have on refugees is not direct information,” Jun said.
She also highlighted the importance of raising public awareness.
“Refugees are not people who are coming to take your jobs or moving around because they want their kids to go to better schools. They are people who had to leave their countries because they had no choice,” she said.
The UNHCR has also been advising the justice ministry to focus more on bolstering the government's ability to handle refugee applications, Jun said.
For instance, she pointed out that the rotation system among civil servants may limit officials who deal with refugees from building expertise in the field. Each interview process requires professional skills, not only in terms of language but also regarding proficient knowledge about the cultural, political and social settings of the countries where the applicants are from.
Jun positively assessed the government's plan to set up a new agency handling immigration affairs, sharing hopes that discussions on refugee-related measures will also take place in the process.
“In a way, Korea started a bit late,” she said, explaining that some Western countries have decades of experience in dealing with refugees. “But Korea has the advantage of other countries that have gone through trial and error. So in a sense, there is a lot of hope for Korea from the UNHCR's point of view.”