Refugees (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Sept. 18 (Korea Bizwire) – For Ahmed Lababidi, a 31-year-old Syrian refugee who fled forced military conscription in 2012, January marked a bittersweet milestone.
After 12 years in South Korea, Lababidi, who uses the Korean name La Yeonu, finally reunited with his family in Turkey, only to find that time had transformed them into near-strangers.
“They were undoubtedly my parents, but it felt like meeting unfamiliar people,” Lababidi recalled. “My parents had aged considerably, and my once-young siblings had grown into adults. I questioned if this was right. It was quite depressing.”
For Lababidi and other refugees in South Korea, traditional holidays like Chuseok, the Korean harvest festival, evoke a longing for normalcy.
“When I see others celebrating with their families, I wish I could live an ordinary life,” he said, his voice trailing off as he added, “Holidays should be spent with parents…”
Lababidi’s situation improved in 2020 when he became a naturalized South Korean citizen, transitioning from humanitarian status and enabling the family reunion. However, for many others, such reunions remain an elusive dream.
Hassan (a pseudonym), who left Yemen in 2015, has been living in South Korea under humanitarian status for nine years. During this time, he has been unable to see his wife and three children left behind in his home country.
In June, Hassan, along with others in similar circumstances, filed a petition seeking family reunification rights for humanitarian status holders. They argue that they should have the same rights as recognized refugees, who can bring their spouses and minor children to South Korea.
“The difference between refugees and humanitarian status holders is just ‘a piece of paper,’ yet their family reunification rights differ significantly,” said Lee Jong-chan, a lawyer at Advocates for Public Interest Law.
“Humanitarian status holders, who are also acknowledged to be at risk in their home countries, should be granted the same level of family reunification rights.”
Under South Korean law, refugees are those recognized as facing persecution due to race, religion, nationality, social status, or political views.
They receive social benefits comparable to South Korean citizens. However, the government maintains a cautious approach to refugee acceptance, partly due to security concerns.
Humanitarian status is granted to those who, while not meeting the strict definition of refugees, face substantial threats to life or freedom from inhumane treatment or other circumstances.
According to data obtained by the Refugee Rights Center, South Korea received 18,838 refugee applications last year, with only 101 approvals—an acceptance rate of 0.54%.
“Compared to international standards, South Korea’s refugee acceptance rate is abnormally low,” Lee emphasized.
“While increasing the refugee acceptance rate would be ideal, if that’s challenging, at least family reunification rights should be extended to humanitarian status holders.”
Kim Yeon-ji, an activist at the Refugee Rights Center, highlighted the importance of family reunification for integration.
“Unlike other migrant communities, refugees and humanitarian status holders often lack established networks in Korea,” she explained.
“Having family here can significantly ease their settlement process, especially for children attending school and building relationships.”
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
