This article is a statement published on August 24, 2021 by the Refugee Rights Network Korea. It welcomes the South Korean government’s “Operation Miracle,” which evacuated local Afghan staff members and their families to Korea during the Afghanistan crisis triggered by the Taliban’s capture of Kabul in August 2021, and it looks at the direction Korean refugee policy should take going forward.

Welcoming the Evacuation

According to media reports on August 24, 2021, the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs was carrying out an evacuation operation to bring roughly 400 Afghan local staff who had worked for the Korean government and related agencies, along with their families, to Korea. The Refugee Rights Network Korea, together with all Korean citizens who stand for the safety and peaceful lives of refugees, warmly welcomed their arrival.

The Network also recognized positively that the Korean government took swift, direct action to support the evacuation and take responsibility for these people’s lives, a meaningful step beyond the misstep of 2014, when the government failed to take adequate measures at the time of the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) withdrawal.

Korea’s Responsibility to the International Community

Thanks to broad international solidarity and support after the Korean War in the 1950s, Korea was able to achieve the economic and social development it enjoys today. Yet the Korean government had long played a limited role in international human rights, and on the refugee issue, one of the most pressing challenges of the 21st century, its approach had largely amounted to repeatedly citing the achievement of enacting the Refugee Act, described as Asia’s first independent law implementing the Refugee Convention, while falling short in practice.

This evacuation operation was not only required by international legal obligations; it was also a matter of moral responsibility. Korea participated as a troop-contributing nation in the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan that began in 2001, and it simply could not turn its back on people who were now in danger precisely because they had helped Korea.

Steps Needed Going Forward

Reviewing Support for Further Evacuations

As the situation on the ground continued to deteriorate, there was a need to identify whether any more people who had worked on development cooperation projects run by the Korean government or Korean NGOs were in danger. If so, preparations for additional evacuation support were necessary.

Special Attention to Vulnerable Refugees

Refugees continued to flee threats to their lives in Afghanistan and neighboring countries. Among them, human rights defenders, women, children, journalists, LGBTQ+ people, and people with disabilities were in especially vulnerable situations.

Active Participation in International Forums

The Korean government needed to participate actively in international forums such as the G7 and G20, thoroughly review its refugee policies and systems, and take a proactive stance on refugee resettlement.

What the Network Asked of the National Assembly

The National Assembly plays a crucial role in improving the refugee system. The Refugee Rights Network Korea called on the Assembly to:

  • Halt discussion of the government’s proposed amendments to the Refugee Act, which could roll back existing protections
  • Make genuine legislative and policy efforts so that the refugees who had arrived in Korea, those still unable to leave Afghanistan, and those already living in Korea would not be reduced to objects of fleeting public attention but could instead live peacefully and without discrimination

Refugees Are Already Our Neighbors

Refugees are not outsiders in Korean society. Their presence and voices had simply not been sufficiently recognized, but they were already active members of society, living their lives in Korea.

The Refugee Rights Network Korea asked the Korean public to set aside unfamiliarity, cheer on the future of refugee families who had been forced to leave their home countries amid unimaginable chaos and pain, and to be good friends and neighbors to them.

Organizations That Signed the Statement

This statement was published jointly by member organizations of the Refugee Rights Network Korea. These organizations, which oppose hatred and discrimination and advocate for the human rights of refugees, expressed their commitment to standing alongside refugees every step of the way as their neighbors and friends.

Some of the links above may reflect organizations that have changed their name or moved their website. For the most up-to-date contact information, please check the Refugee Rights Network Korea’s official Facebook page.