Issue 4: Securing Resources and Enhancing Process for Refugee
Screening
Status
43.
The Committee recommended to “consider revising article 5 of the
“Enforcement Decree of the Refugee Act”, ensure an effective
administrative appeal mechanism with regard to negative decisions, establish
a legally prescribed maximum duration of immigration detention, apply noncustodial measures to immigrant minors and eliminate overcrowding and
improve material condition in immigration detention facilities including at
points of entry and in departure waiting area” in the concluding observation
on the third to fifth periodic reports of Korea in 2017.
44.
The NHRCK published “The Second Edition of Human Rights
Guidelines on Migration” on 18 December 2019, stating ten guidelines,
including prohibiting racial discrimination, enhancing remedy procedure
against infringement of their rights, improving fairness of refugee screening,
ensuring right to work of immigrants, improving immigrant-related
institutions, strengthening health care services, implementing nondiscriminatory social security system, ensuring the principle of the best
interests of the child for immigrant children, protecting human rights of
immigrant women and minimizing detention.
45.
The 2018 refugee application (Ministry of Justice) shows that the
number of refugee applicants jumped from 1,574 to 9,942 between 2012 and
2017. Total 6,446 applications out of 9,942 went to Seoul Immigration
18