A group of South Korean students march toward Myanmar’s Embassy in Seoul on Feb. 5, 2021, as they participate in a protest rally against the Southeast Asian country’s military, which seized power in a Feb. 1 coup and detained Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, March 12 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea will grant special stay permits for Myanmar nationals on humanitarian grounds starting next Monday, amid mounting violence there following a coup last month, the justice ministry said Friday.
The ministry said the measures will cover approximately 25,000 Myanmar nationals who are staying in South Korea, until conditions stabilize in the Southeast Asian country.
Under the emergency measures, the government will issue temporary stay permits to those whose visas are about to expire but cannot be extended.
Those whose visas already expired will also be allowed to stay temporarily until it becomes safe to voluntarily return home.
The decision was made “on humanitarian grounds to minimize civilian casualties due to the army’s oppressive crackdown” on pro-democracy protesters, Justice Minister Park Beom-kye said in a statement.
Myanmar has been in crisis since early last month when a military coup overthrew the elected government and violently cracked down on anti-coup demonstrators.
(Yonhap)
