North Jeolla to consider including foreign residents in emergency relief funds
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By Lee Hae-rin
North Jeolla Province will positively consider a recommendation by the National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) to include foreign residents as recipients of state-funded emergency relief checks, the human rights watchdog said, Friday.
According to the NHRCK, in July 2021 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the provincial government provided financial assistance to Korean nationals registered as residents of the province and foreign nationals who have permanent residency (F-5) or marriage migrant (F-6) visas based on its ordinance on emergency relief funds.
In response, the local advocacy group Green Jeonbuk filed a petition to the NHRCK that it is discriminatory against other foreign nationals who do not have an F-5 or F-6 visa but live, work and pay taxes to be excluded from the pandemic relief policy.
The rights agency urged the provincial government to revise the ordinance and include a wider range of the foreign population in its plan to lessen economic fallout in the event of future pandemics or emergencies.
Under the Immigration Act, foreign residents are those who have registered with the head of the regional immigration service within 90 days from the date of entry and have an address in the region.
In May 2020, the NHRCK made a similar recommendation to the Seoul Metropolitan Government and Gyeonggi Provincial Government. Seoul accepted the recommendation, while Gyeonggi Province refused to embrace it, citing the increased financial burden.
Across Korea, local government policies vary in terms of which foreign nationals qualify for assistance. Of the 54 local governments with ordinances listed on the Korean Law Information Center, several including Gwangju, Bucheon and Anseong of Gyeonggi Province and Suncheon of South Jeolla Province include all registered foreign residents in their relief programs.
However, other regions restrict this support to Korean nationals and those whose need for relief funds is acknowledged by local governors.
“There should not be any discrimination in emergency relief funds because all residents ― regardless of nationality ― go through difficult times under such circumstances,” an NHRCK officer in charge of the inquiry told The Korea Times, Friday.
“It could be too late if such an amendment is made after the next emergency occurs. It is recommended that local governments prepare in advance to provide timely relief funds to foreign residents in need.”