Refugee forum urges Korea to embrace diversity as source of strength

Representatives of the Refugee Reference Group speak during the Korea Refugee Forum held at Seoul National University of Education, Dec. 9. Courtesy of Bereket Alemayehu

Responsibility for refugee protection should not rest solely with the government, according to participants in the Korea Refugee Forum, held at Seoul National University of Education on Dec. 9.

Instead, forum participants said, meaningful protection and integration requires collaboration across sectors, communities and institutions. This “whole-of-society” approach encourages long-term thinking about social inclusion, coexistence and access to services, rather than focusing only on short-term asylum procedures.

As the first national-level forum dedicated exclusively to refugee issues, the event highlighted the intensification of forced displacement in recent years due to a combination of conflicts and wars, persecution, human rights violations and the global climate crisis.

Organized by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Mission to Korea, the National Human Rights Commission of Korea, Refugee Human Rights Network and Refugee Research Network, the forum was held in alignment with this month’s Global Refugee Forum Progress Review Meeting at UNHCR headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.

Participants recognized that for years, discussions related to refugees in Korea have largely been confined to administrative procedures and legal debates surrounding asylum recognition, saying that the need for international solidarity and sharing of responsibilities for protection and solutions is becoming more urgent.

In preparation for the forum, organizers of Refugee Reference Group appointed 10 members with refugee backgrounds from nine countries to ensure that refugee voices would be reflected meaningfully in policy discussions, support programs and public discourse.

The members challenged long-standing misconceptions about refugees, asserting that refugees are not fragile and in need of constant management, but rather individuals shaped by resilience, courage and determination. They have dreams, ambitions and a strong desire to contribute meaningfully to their host communities, bringing valuable skills, strengths and insights to the societies they live in.

Yet despite this reality, humanitarian and policy responses in Korea have too often failed to recognize refugees as partners in consulting solutions, they said.

Calling on Korean society to embrace diversity as a source of strength, the group offered a vision for the future.

“Find the beauty of Korea in diversity and its commitment to inclusion,” they urged. “It is revealed through acts of acceptance, bonds of love and a shared pursuit of harmony. It is embodied in our willingness to help, and in our courage to give.”

They said that for far too long, refugees in Korea have been sidelined or consulted late in the process, if at all. Drafting a new principle of meaningful participation, the group asserted that effective and ethical refugee work must be done by refugees, with refugees and for refugees.

Refugee Reference Group member Chris Caspa poses during the Korea Refugee Forum held at Seoul National University of Education, Dec. 9. Courtesy of Bereket Alemayehu

Chris Caspa, a Cameroonian educator and community builder who participated in the reference group, shared his hope for a more just and humane asylum system by pointing out several issues requiring urgent attention.

“In Korea, I have actively supported refugees who face significant challenges due to the country’s limited and, in many cases, nonexistent system for legal assistance,” he said. “With almost no accessible resources to help them navigate complex immigration and asylum procedures, many applicants struggle to understand their rights or present their claims effectively. I have tried to guide as many individuals as possible, but the need far exceeds the available support.”

Caspa originally arrived in Korea in 2001 as a refugee. He relocated to the United States in 2003 to pursue additional studies, before returning to South Korea in 2010 with his family and resuming his work in both public and private education. He said that based on his experience working as a paralegal in the U.S., the challenges surrounding refugees can be addressed through well-structured support systems.

“First, there is a critical need to establish a government-funded legal aid framework specifically for asylum seekers, in partnership with NGOs, universities and the legal community,” he said. “Second, immigration officials should receive specialized training in international refugee law, trauma-informed interviewing and cultural sensitivity to ensure fair and consistent decision-making. Third, the system must adopt transparent and efficient case processing, supported by digital management tools and clear timelines.”

Equally critical is the guarantee of professional and culturally informed interpretation services at every stage of the asylum process. Even minor misinterpretations can alter the outcome of a case.

Beyond the legal system, Caspa stressed the importance of strengthening Korea’s reception and integration environment by improving access to temporary work permits, health care, mental health services and stable housing.

Participants in the Korea Refugee Forum pose together at Seoul National University of Education, Dec. 9. Courtesy of Bereket Alemayehu

Anila Noor, founder and managing director of New Women Connectors, an initiative led by migrant and refugee women in the Netherlands, was invited to speak at the event.

“Refugees are not a single category. They are human beings. They are women. They are children. They are nonbinary individuals. They are people with diverse identities, skills and experiences,” she said. “As someone said earlier today, any one of us could become a refugee. With climate crises, conflicts and global instability, none of us can predict who might be displaced tomorrow. This reality urges us to rethink how we frame and understand refuge.”

Noor, who was born in Pakistan but now holds Dutch citizenship, explained how her lived experience of displacement strongly informs her advocacy and leadership.

She said that being a refugee is not who someone is. It is a circumstance — one that arises when a person seeks safety, access to rights and the opportunity to live a dignified life. Unfortunately, refugee status has become stigmatized, creating a dynamic in which people are labeled, misunderstood and often dehumanized. This led her to become a globally recognized refugee rights advocate, feminist leader and policy influencer, known for her work on meaningful participation of refugees, particularly women and people from marginalized communities.

Her advocacy approach for meaningful participation recognizes that exclusion is created by systems, not by individuals.

“Our advocacy is rooted in civic engagement principles ... which emphasize fundamental human rights — the right to education, the right to vote, the right to live with dignity,” she said. “Meaningful participation requires a shift in power dynamics. That is why we work not only with governments, donors and institutions — training them on how to engage refugees meaningfully — but also directly with refugees themselves. For years now, we have been providing training to refugee representatives globally, empowering them to advocate based on their lived realities, regional contexts and community needs.”

Anila Noor, founder and managing director of New Women Connectors, poses during the Korea Refugee Forum held at Seoul National University of Education, Dec. 9. Courtesy of Bereket Alemayehu

Korea, as a country that accepts refugees through various channels including resettlement, has often faced criticism for its low refugee recognition rate and limited integration support, as well as public resentment fueled by fear and misinformation.

Visit korearefugeeforum.org for more information.

Bereket Alemayehu is an Ethiopian photo artist, social activist and writer based in Seoul. He’s also the co-founder of Hanokers, a refugee-led social initiative, and freelance contributor for Pressenza Press Agency.