Iranian teen under deportation order touches hearts of Korean classmates

This Iranian teen, who has been in Korea for more than nine years, attends a Seoul middle school. Screen captures from SBS News

By Ko Dong-hwan

The Korean classmates of an Iranian teenager under a deportation order have asked President Moon Jae-in to repeal the decision.

A classmate posted a petition on the Cheong Wa Dae's petition website on July 11.

The Iranian, 16, came to Korea with his father nine years ago.

Under the title “Please let my friend have a just screening so he can earn refugee status,” the petition said the student's refugee status application was “unjustly dismissed by the Supreme Court.” The petitioner said she and her friends were infuriated at the Korean justice system because it ignored their Iranian friend's predicament only because the system was inundated with cases to check.

“My friend had his identification document confiscated and now awaits the date to be deported,” the petitioner said. “Tears roll down and my heart shakes as I think about him. If he leaves like this, 27 of us in our class, and 600 students of our school will be left with an indelible pain. If there is justice, please help him not to go back to Iran and keep him safe.”

The petition had drawn more than 28,000 supporters as of Monday afternoon. If it reaches 200,000 by Aug. 10, Cheong Wa Dae must give an official response.

The identity of the student, from a Seoul middle school, has been withheld for safety reasons. He and his father came to Korea after his father, then an entrepreneur who traveled often, found Korea ideal as a place to live and for his son's education.

With his religion converted from Islam to Christianity, he said he will be persecuted if he was deported back to Iran.

In Korea, the Muslim pair converted to Christianity. In Iran, their change of religion would be considered an apostate act for which they would face severe punishment, even execution.

The father and son applied for refugee status two years ago but the application was dismissed at an immigration office. When they appealed for reconsideration, a district court agreed, but an appellate court then overturned the decision. It reasoned that the Iranian government would not notice the pair's return; therefore there would be no risk to their lives if they returned to Iran.

But the student told a Korean radio show on CBS on July 13 that his aunt knew about their religious change and had cut off communication.

The Supreme Court also rejected the pair's appeal on the grounds that it did not have relevant cause under Korean law.

The two now have until the end of September to stay in Korea.

But they found there was a way to register their refugee status application again, even after the Supreme Court decision.

“Lawyers we know and my classmates said they would help us so we will register our case again,” the student said.

Asked what he would do if the Korean government accepted him, he said he would “become a model and live a happy life with my family.”