EXCLUSIVE Assad regime's collapse could affect status of 1,200 Syrians in Korea

Human rights activists hold a rally in solidarity with refugee children from Syria in central Seoul in this March 15, 2018 file photo. The fall of the authoritarian Assad regime in Damascus may affect the legal status of Syrians seeking political asylum in Korea, according to the Ministry of Justice. Newsis

The fall of the authoritarian Bashar al-Assad regime in Damascus may affect the legal status of Syrians seeking political asylum in Korea, as many nations in Europe are now moving to halt asylum procedures for Syrian migrants.

An official at the Ministry of Justice told The Korea Times recently that it would begin to review the status of nearly 1,300 refugees and asylum-seekers from the Middle Easter country in the wake of the political upheaval there.

“As of October, 1,971 Syrian nationals were staying in Korea, including 10 granted refugee status and 1,271 others staying under humanitarian grounds,” the official said. “Refugee screening and residence authorization for them will be reviewed in the light of the development of the international and Syria’s domestic situations.”

This statement comes after the sudden collapse of the Assad regime, which suppressed and persecuted critics for over 50 years through inhumane methods, including extrajudicial killings and systematic torture. Before rebel forces took control of the Syrian capital, Dec. 8, forcing Assad to flee to Russia, millions of Syrians had left the country to seek asylum due to political reasons.

His escape and the end of Syria’s civil war mean that the primary reason for many Syrians seeking asylum abroad has either disappeared or, at the very least, significantly weakened. This has prompted a number of European nations, including Britain, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Sweden, Denmark and Norway, to suspend the processing of asylum claims from Syrians.

The comment from the ministry official suggests that Korea may join that list. Most, if not all, of the 1,281 Syrian refugees and asylum-seekers currently residing in the country are believed to have been granted permission to stay for political reasons.

The changing political circumstances in Damascus could put 1,271 Syrians residents “staying under humanitarian grounds” in trouble immediately, as their status should be renewed by the immigration authorities here every year, unlike those granted refugee status. If rejected, they must return to their country.

Syrians account for almost half of all 2,600 foreign nationals given permission to stay under humanitarian grounds in Korea, according to ministry data.

Syrians wait to cross into Syria from Turkey at the Cilvegozu Border Gate in Reyhanli District of Hatay, Turkey, Dec. 9. The Political Affairs Department of the Syrian Salvation government called for all refugees outside Syria to return. EPA-Yonhap

In recent years, refugees and immigration have become a sensitive political issue worldwide, particularly in Europe. Citizens often blame the surge in the number of refugees and immigrants for rising inflation, housing shortages, strained services and a variety of other social problems.

As many countries freeze asylum applications for people from Syria, human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, have criticized these decisions, arguing that the situation has not yet stabilized.

Last week, the U.N. refugee agency also called on all member states to continue to provide support for Syrians who have sought international protection, saying that the collapse of the Assad regime does not automatically lead to a return to safety and that they must be able to “make informed decisions” about their future.