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| Participants of a forum on migrant policy pose during the event held at Seoul National University Asia Center in Seoul, Wednesday. Co-hosted by the Ministry of Justice and the Migration Research and Training Center, the forum gathered immigration experts to discuss migrant policy recommendations for the government. Korea Times photo by Lee Hyo-jin |
Government urged to focus on social integration of migrants
By Lee Hyo-jin
Upgrading the Korea Immigration Service (KIS) to a higher-level government agency split off from the Ministry of Justice could be a viable option for the government to launch a new entity encompassing migrant-related policies, experts said, Wednesday.
Discussions on the possible launch of a new immigration agency have gained momentum in Korea after newly appointed Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon said in his appointment speech in May that he will review installing an agency dedicated to migrant-related issues to better deal with the rising number of immigrants.
Various immigration experts discussed specific ways for the government to realize its plan at a forum on migrant policy, organized jointly by the Ministry of Justice and the Migration Research and Training Center (MRTC). The event was held at Seoul National University (SNU) Asia Center, under the title "Ways to redesign immigration policies for Korea, a country taking a leap forward."
The participants included KIS Commissioner Lee Jae-yoo, MRTC Director Kang Dong-kwan, Korean Association of Immigration Policy and Administration head Moon Byung-ki, Korean International Migration Studies Association head Yoon In-jin and SNU Graduate School of Public Administration professor Kim Dong-wook, among others.
During the forum, Kim suggested that the KIS, which is currently under the justice ministry, should be upgraded to a higher-level, independent government agency.
"Establishing an independent agency would enable the government to carry out more advanced immigration policies and attract talented foreign nationals, who would become a driving force of our society," he said.
This option, which would require revisions to the Government Organization Law, should be reviewed by lawmakers in July, before proposing a revision bill in September, he said. If the bill is passed in the latter half of the year, he viewed that the new agency could be set up as early as in January 2023.
The expert viewed that the launch of the new agency may help Korea build competitiveness in the "war for foreign talent" among its neighboring countries. Japan and China, which used to have relatively restrictive immigration policies, are increasingly opening their borders to migrants in an effort to secure a sustainable workforce.
In the long term, Kim said the government should consider adopting a points-based immigration system, to better accept high-skilled workers. Under the system, foreign nationals who seek to move to Korea will score points based on several criteria such as age, level of education and work experience. And visas will be granted to those who gain enough points.
Jeong Seong-ho, a senior official at the Korea Fiscal Information Service, viewed that the government should draw up a fiscal management plan on migrant policies by installing an "immigration fund," in order to more efficiently secure the funds needed for social integration of migrants.
Anton Scholz, a freelance journalist from Germany, compared Korea's immigration policies to those of his home country. Explaining that an immigration department dedicated to migrant and refugee policies was established in Germany in 1953, he called on the Korean government to establish its own immigration agency swiftly.
The participants also stressed the growing importance of migrants amid the country's shrinking population and declining labor productivity.
"Immigration policy has emerged as a key priority to achieve sustainable economic development amid the rapidly aging society and declining birth rate," Kang said. The MRTC head called for a two-track approach on migration policies, addressing how to attract them to move here, and how to support their social integration once they enter Korea.
Lee Jeong-woo, a researcher at the Institute on Local Immigration Policy and Development, urged the government to shift its view on migrant policies.
"So far, migrant policies have been mainly about control and monitoring. But this needs to change. We need to focus more on social integration of foreign nationals and accept them as equal members of Korean society," he said.
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