SUMMARY 1. The National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) is submitting an independent report to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) to present information and opinions that would help the CERD’s consideration of the seventeenth to nineteenth periodic reports of the Republic of Korea. 2. The independent report consists of a total of 20 issues (31 specific issues) and contains recent cases in regards to bringing the internal law in line with the International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination ("the Convention") by including a definition of racial discrimination in keeping with that contained in the Convention, adopting specific legislative measures to prohibit and punish racially motivated criminal offenses, and drafting a discrimination prohibition act. 3. The report elaborates on issues related to taking appropriate measures, in accordance with article 5 of the Convention, to guarantee the right to equal treatment before the tribunals and all other organs administering justice, the right to freedom of movement and residence within the border of the State, the right to form and join trade unions, the right to leave any country, including one's own, and to return to one's country, the right to public health, medical care, social security and social services, and the right to public assistance in case of an emergency. 4. In particular, regarding the issue on the protection of migrant children's basic human rights, this report states recent cases on introducing the Universal Birth Registration, providing consistent medical services, ensuring education rights, and providing protection and support for migrant children. 5. The report set forth the views of NHRCK and detailed statistical data on the refugee protection system in Republic of Korea in line with the concerns and recommendations provided by the Committee as the Korean society has been outspoken in its racial hatred or racial discrimination towards Yemeni refugee applicants whose numbers have recently increased rapidly in Jeju Island. 6. The report dilates on issues that have been under constant debate as well as