Bill proposed to protect undocumented children

The Korea Times

The Korea Times

National

Tue, September 26, 2023 | 11:38

Bill proposed to protect undocumented children

'불법체류자 아동 건강·교육권 보장' 입법추진

Posted : 2014-12-01 17:33

Updated : 2014-12-01 18:56

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.

'불법체류자 아동 건강·교육권 보장' 입법추진

국내에 불법 체류하는 외국인 노동자 자녀도 건강하게 교육받을 수 있게 보장하는 법안이 발의됐다.

1일 보건복지부에 따르면 이주아동도 건강하게 성장할 수 있도록 하는 내용의 아동복지법 일부 개정안이 의원입법으로 발의됐다.

개정안은 체류자격을 받지 않고 대한민국에 체류중인 아동을 이주아동으로 정의하고, 이들 이주아동도 의료급여 수급권자로서 의료급여를 받을 수 있도록 하는 내용을 담고 있다.

이주아동에게 의무적으로 교육하도록 하고 외국에서 받은 학력을 인정받을 수 있도록 했다. 나아가 보호대상아동에 해당하면 보호조치를 받을 수 있도록 했다.

우리나라는 1991년에 유엔의 '아동의 권리에 관한 협약'을 비준, 부모의 신분과 상관없이 아동의 체류권과 교육권, 보호권 등을 보장할 의무가 있다. 하지만 여태껏 이런 이주아동의 권리를 보장하는 법적 근거를 마련하진 않았다.

정부는 다만 이주노동자 정책의 하나로 이주아동이 최소한의 건강관리와 예방접종을 받을 수 있도록 하고 있다. 초·중학교에 다니는 미등록 이주아동은 일정기간 강제 출국을 유예하도록 하는 방침을 두고 있다. 2010년 기준으로 우리나라에는 불법체류자의 자녀라는 신분 때문에 무국적·미등록된 이주아동이 2만여 명 있는 것으로 추산된다. (연합뉴스)

skim@koreatimes.co.kr