By Kim Se-jeong
An opposition party lawmaker has proposed a bill to provide free education and medical services to almost 20,000 undocumented children.
Rep. Jung Cheong-rae of the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy proposed a revision to the Child Welfare Act on Nov. 18 to grant undocumented children access to basic free education and medical services equal to what's available to other children.
Education is free until middle school. When it comes to medical care, those who live in extreme poverty and North Korean defectors are eligible for free medical treatment.
"The existing protection measures for the undocumented children are mostly temporary. We need a more holistic and sustainable approach to protect them," Jung said in a statement.
In addition to free education and medical treatment, Jung proposed these children be given the rights to use government facilities for teenagers and receive adaptation training sessions offered by state agencies. None of these benefits are currently available to them.
Activists for children's rights hailed the bill.
"I would welcome his move. What he did put us one step closer to a society where these children can live better lives regardless of their circumstances," said Lee Joon-sik, chairman of Asian Friends, an NGO based in Seoul that advocates migrant workers' rights.
Conservative groups and the Ministry of Justice have opposed the concept of giving free welfare to undocumented children, saying it would cause the number of illegal immigrants to soar.
"I know there will be protests. However, matters involving children should be dealt with using a different approach. Children are innocent. They did not choose this life. And for this reason, No one can neglect their basic rights," Lee said.
According to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, children under 18 years of age are entitled to education and medical care and a right to stay with their parents no matter where they are. And it insists host countries of undocumented children provide basic services to them. The convention became the foundation for policies related to domestic children in the countries that ratified it. The Korean government ratified the convention in 1991, but has not yet reflected the convention.
Undocumented children in Korea consist of two groups: those who were born outside Korea and whose documents expired, and those who were born in Korea but have not received birth certificates because of the illegal status of their parents. They mostly live underground, which makes it hard to determine their exact numbers. It is estimated there are about 20,000.
A similar bill aimed to protect these undocumented children is currently in the works. Rep. Jasmine Lee of the ruling Saenuri Party is leading efforts to draft the bill and is planning to propose it no later than this month, according to one of her aides.
An opposition party lawmaker has proposed a bill to provide free education and medical services to almost 20,000 undocumented children.
Rep. Jung Cheong-rae of the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy proposed a revision to the Child Welfare Act on Nov. 18 to grant undocumented children access to basic free education and medical services equal to what's available to other children.
Education is free until middle school. When it comes to medical care, those who live in extreme poverty and North Korean defectors are eligible for free medical treatment.
"The existing protection measures for the undocumented children are mostly temporary. We need a more holistic and sustainable approach to protect them," Jung said in a statement.
In addition to free education and medical treatment, Jung proposed these children be given the rights to use government facilities for teenagers and receive adaptation training sessions offered by state agencies. None of these benefits are currently available to them.
Activists for children's rights hailed the bill.
"I would welcome his move. What he did put us one step closer to a society where these children can live better lives regardless of their circumstances," said Lee Joon-sik, chairman of Asian Friends, an NGO based in Seoul that advocates migrant workers' rights.
Conservative groups and the Ministry of Justice have opposed the concept of giving free welfare to undocumented children, saying it would cause the number of illegal immigrants to soar.
"I know there will be protests. However, matters involving children should be dealt with using a different approach. Children are innocent. They did not choose this life. And for this reason, No one can neglect their basic rights," Lee said.
According to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, children under 18 years of age are entitled to education and medical care and a right to stay with their parents no matter where they are. And it insists host countries of undocumented children provide basic services to them. The convention became the foundation for policies related to domestic children in the countries that ratified it. The Korean government ratified the convention in 1991, but has not yet reflected the convention.
Undocumented children in Korea consist of two groups: those who were born outside Korea and whose documents expired, and those who were born in Korea but have not received birth certificates because of the illegal status of their parents. They mostly live underground, which makes it hard to determine their exact numbers. It is estimated there are about 20,000.
A similar bill aimed to protect these undocumented children is currently in the works. Rep. Jasmine Lee of the ruling Saenuri Party is leading efforts to draft the bill and is planning to propose it no later than this month, according to one of her aides.
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