Immigration agency plan gains momentum in National Assembly
Then Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon speaks at a meeting with ruling People Power Party lawmakers at the National Assembly in Seoul, Dec. 6, during which he asked for their support for the government's plan to establish a new immigration agency. Yonhap
Legislative efforts for the establishment of a new immigration agency are gaining traction in the National Assembly, marking progress in the government's plan to establish a "control tower" for handling affairs related to foreign residents.
On Friday, Rep. Jeong Jeom-sig and nine other lawmakers of the conservative ruling People Power Party (PPP) proposed a bill to revise the Government Organization Act with the aim of establishing an immigration agency under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Justice.
The PPP's interim leader Han Dong-hoon, who had served as the justice minister before joining the party, has been at the forefront of government efforts for advanced immigration policies to tackle the nation's demographic crisis.
With about 2.5 million foreign nationals residing in the nation — comprising roughly 5 percent of the total 51.5 million population — Korea has been facing an increasing need to pursue cohesive immigration policies by creating a separate government entity.
If enacted, the bill would facilitate the launch of the immigration agency, responsible for managing immigration-related tasks currently handled by the justice ministry. These tasks encompass entry, residency, nationality, refugees and social integration programs provided to foreign residents.
"The establishment of the immigration agency is an urgent and crucial task for the future of Korea. Once established, it can serve as a control tower for immigration and entry policies, formulating and implementing unified policies across the government to address the complex issues surrounding immigration," Jeong said in a statement.
However, the specific roles and tasks of the immigration agency are expected to be a source of debate between the parties.
Rep. Jasmine Lee of the minor opposition Justice Party expressed support for the envisioned immigration agency, but emphasized that it should prioritize protection of migrants' rights.
Lee, a Philippines-born naturalized Korean and a longstanding advocate for migrants' rights, returned to the National Assembly last week as a proportional representative of the minor progressive party, succeeding the role of Ryu Ho-jeong, who left the party in January. From 2012 to 2016, Lee served as a lawmaker in the conservative Saenuri Party, the predecessor of PPP.
Rep. Jasmine Lee of the Justice Party speaks during a National Assembly session, Thursday. Yonhap
"The demographic crisis due to declining birthrate and aging society pose a threat to the nation's existence. This is why I agree with the PPP's plan to establish the immigration agency," Lee said during a National Assembly session, Thursday.
"But if this initiative is aimed merely to address the population decline, the agency will just become another burden on taxpayers. Discussions on enhancing the rights of immigrants should accompany the establishment of the agency to truly fulfill its purpose."
In that regard, Lee said that measures to guarantee the basic rights of migrants, such as labor rights and suffrage, must be included in related bills.
This stance somewhat differs from the tone set by the ruling party and the government.
In December, then Justice Minister Han had stated that the purpose of the immigration agency would be to "realize the practical interests of the nation and its people," rather than to introduce cultural diversity or for humanitarian purposes.
"The policies we aim to pursue are not about simply accepting a large number of foreigners. Instead, we will accept only foreign nationals who meet our needs based on thorough assessments, while strengthening crackdowns on undocumented migrants," Han said in a National Assembly speech given at that time.