Condemn Gyeonggi Province's administration that goes against the times! Oppose the abolition of the Immigration and Society Bureau! Joint press conference condemning Governor Choo Mi-ae

Migration to Asia Peace (MAP), as a member organization of the Refugee Rights Network and the Network Responding to Migrant Detention, signed this joint press conference statement.

Press Conference Overview

• Moderator: Park Hee-eun (Executive Director, Gyeonggi Migrant Equality Solidarity)
• Speech 1. Jo Gwi-je, Deputy Head, Gyeonggi Regional Headquarters of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions
• Speech 2. Lee Young, Vice President, Gyeonggi Province Council of Foreign Residents Welfare Centers (Director, Namyangju Foreign Residents Welfare Center)
• Speech 3. Park Dong-chan, Director, Gyeonggyein-ui Mog Sori (Voice of the Border People)
• Speech 4. Jones Galang, Secretary General, Kasamako (Filipino Migrant Workers Community)
• Speech 5. Kim Suk-young, Co-Representative, Politics Mothers
• Speech 6. Ahn So-jeong, Standing Activist, Sincheon Union Hospital Community Health Center (Member, Healthy Together Health Care Network)
• Speech 7. Attorney Kim Sang-heon, International Solidarity Committee and Labor Committee, Lawyers for a Democratic Society
• Reading of the statement: Ahn Eun-jeong, activist, Dasan Human Rights Center; Venerable Seonu, Social and Labor Committee, Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism; Lee Mi-suk, Chair, Banwol-Sihwa Industrial Complex Labor Union “Woldam”

Full Text of the Press Conference Statement

Condemn Gyeonggi Province’s administration that goes against the times! Oppose the abolition of the Immigration and Society Bureau!
We condemn Governor Choo Mi-ae of Gyeonggi Province!

How can someone who cannot read the times claim to be responsible for the administration of the people of Gyeonggi Province? We cannot help but lament. Since the 9th popularly elected term began, Governor Choo Mi-ae’s unilateral, regressive and outdated administration is truly bleak, reminding us of the era of developmental dictatorship. On October 20, the first organizational restructuring plan of the 9th popularly elected term of Gyeonggi Province was announced, and many people are outraged. In particular, in an era of 3 million migrants, it is shocking that in Gyeonggi Province, where the largest number of migrants live, the administration for building social infrastructure for them, for their integration and for their support has disappeared.

In June 2024, 23 lives were lost in the serious industrial disaster at Aricell in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, and the fact that the majority of them were migrants called on the Gyeonggi administration to reflect and look inward. As a result, the Immigration and Society Bureau was newly established to build an integrated support system for the more than 800,000 migrants and their families living in Gyeonggi Province. Since its establishment, basic ordinances to guarantee the rights of migrants, migrant workers and refugees have been enacted and are in force. Behind these ordinances is a declaration that migrants and migrant workers living in Gyeonggi Province will overcome the discrimination, hatred and exclusion that arise from policies, systems and administration. It is a starting point for designing and realizing concrete administration, including human rights and labor rights, from language communication to education, health care, housing, labor, culture, the environment and social security, for members of the community who live together.

The dignity of being a “person” and the integration of the recognition of migrants as “members of the community” were what the role of the Gyeonggi Province Immigration and Society Bureau was required to be at its core. The Immigration and Society Bureau was established to “connect scattered policy functions and make roles and responsibilities clear for each field,” as stated in the background of the first organizational restructuring of the 9th popularly elected term of Gyeonggi Province, and there are still many more concrete tasks and roles ahead. At a time when South Korea speaks of low birth rates, an aging population, regional extinction and labor shortages, and is making plans to attract and bring in more migrants and migrant workers, Gyeonggi Province alone has taken the lead, ahead of any other local government, in establishing an “Immigration and Society Bureau.” On the contrary, the Gyeonggi example needs to be extended nationwide. Yet why is the Gyeonggi administration regressing again? Is Governor Choo Mi-ae unable to see the trend of the times, or unwilling to see it? We are truly outraged.

In addition to the announcement of the abolition of the Immigration and Society Bureau, what is outrageous is that there is no explanation behind it. There is no concrete plan for what will be done next. There was not even a consultation with relevant parties, including local migrant support organizations. The existence of migrants and migrant workers was simply deleted. Did the province judge them to be projects and administration that do not help the Gyeonggi Province budget, and erase them from the system? Otherwise, how could it be so insincere, so unilateral and so violent?

The Korean government continuously expands the retention and admission of migrants through various systems. Fragmented and complicated administration and exploitative systems prevent migrants from living fully as human beings and as workers. Refusal of refugee status and coercive policies toward undocumented migrants force an unstable and inhuman life on them. We want to ask Governor Choo Mi-ae: can you promise that the death of a migrant woman worker, who died in a plastic greenhouse dormitory in sub-zero weather in the winter of 2020, will not happen again in Gyeonggi Province? The first organizational restructuring plan of the 9th popularly elected term should not abolish the Immigration and Society Bureau but expand and strengthen it. It is right to present a plan to properly realize an immigrant society in Gyeonggi Province. Governor Choo Mi-ae, withdraw right now the organizational restructuring plan that goes against the times, the abolition of the Immigration and Society Bureau.

October 23, 2026

All of the Nationwide Migrant Labor and Human Rights Civil Society Organizations

Signatory Organizations

경계인의몫소리연구소, 경기도 다문화가정 학부모 교육 네트워크, 경기도외국인복지센터협의회(김포시 외국인주민지원센터/남양주시 외국인복지센터/사)부천이주민지원센터/수원시 외국인복지센터/시흥시 외국인복지센터/안성시 외국인주민지원센터/여주시 외국인복지센터/용인시 외국인복지센터/화성시 외국인복지센터), 경기시민사회단체연대회의, 경기이주평등연대 ((사)공감직업환경의학센터/노동당경기도당/노동해방을위한좌파활동가경기결집/노무법인약속/다산인권센터/민주노총경기도본부/민주노총수원용인오산화성지부/민주사회를위한변호사모임노동위원회/반월시화공단노동조합‘월담’/수원이주민센터/오산이주노동자센터/이주노동법률지원센터소금꽃나무/이웃살이이주노동자센터/이주노동자노동조합/지구인의정류장/정의당경기도당/화성노동안전네트워크/화성외국인보호소방문시민모임‘마중’/한국노동안전보건연구소), 공공운수노조 경기지역지부 화성소각장분회, 국제민주연대, 난민인권네트워크(TFC(The First Contact for Refugee), 공익법센터 어필, 공익변호사와 함께하는 동행, 공익사단법인 정, 공익인권법재단 공감, 공익인권센터 드림(DREAM), 국제난민지원단체 피난처, 글로벌호프, 난민인권센터(NANCEN), 동두천난민공동체, 동두천가톨릭센터, 동작FM, 민주사회를 위한 변호사모임 국제연대위원회, 비영리단체 겨자풀, 사단법인 두루, 성가소비녀회 의정부관구 동두천 베타니아, 성가소비녀회 의정부관구 파주 베타니아, 수원글로벌드림센터, 순천이주민지원센터, 아시아의친구들, 아시아평화를향한이주MAP, 이주여성을위한문화경제공동체 에코팜므, 이주민지원공익센터 감동, 외국인이주노동자인권을위한모임, 의정부 EXODUS, 이주민센터 친구, 천주교제주교구이주사목센터 나오미, 재단법인 동천, 재단법인 화우공익재단, 제주평화인권연구소 왓, 참여연대, 파주EXODUS, 한국이주인권센터), 난민인권센터, 노동당 경기도당, 노동해방을 위한 좌파활동가 경기결집, 다같이 건강한 보건의료 네트워크, 다산인권센터, 대전충청이주인권운동연대(다문화대안학교 알스쿨, 대전이주노동자연대, 대전이주민지원센터, 아산이주노동자센터, 음성군외국인지원센터, 이주민노동인권센터, 충남다문화가정협회, 충남이주여성상담소, 충북이주여성인권센터, 홍성이주민센터), 대한불교조계종 사회노동위원회, 동대문구가족센터, 마석이주극장mmT, 민주사회를 위한 변호사모임 국제연대위원회, 민주주의기술학교, 반월시화공단노동조합 월담, 베트남여성연합회, 부천시외국인주민지원센터, (사)부천이주민지원센터, 부천시아동보호전문기관, 사단법인경기글로벌센터, 사람이왔다_이주노동자차별철폐네트워크(가톨릭노동상담소, 거제노동안전보건활동가모임, 경기이주평등연대, 경북북부이주노동자센터, 경산(경북)이주노동자센터, 경주이주노동자센터, 공익법단체 두루, 광주전남이주노동자인권네트워크, 노동당노동위원회, 노동해방마중, 노동해방을위한좌파활동가 광주전남결집, 노동해방을위한좌파활동가 대구결집, 노동해방을위한좌파활동가 서울결집, 노동해방을위한좌파활동가 전국결집, 녹색당, 대구이주민선교센터, 대한불교조계종 사회노동위원회, 마창거제산재추방운동연합, 반월시화공단노동조합:월담, 변혁적여성운동네트워크 빵과장미, 비정규직이제그만공동투쟁, 사회주의를향한전진, 성서공단지역지회, 양산작은사업장지역연대노조, 우리동네노동권찾기, 울산이주민센터, 음성노동인권센터, 이주노동자노동조합, 이주민 건강권 실현을 위한 동행, 이주와인권연구소, 인권운동공간 활, 인권운동네트워크바람, 인권운동사랑방, 자치와 자급, 전국불안정노동철폐연대, 전국대학원생비정규연구자노동조합, 전남이주노동자인권네트워크, 전북특별자치도노동조합, 정의당, 천안살림교회, 충북이주노동인권모임 미나리, 플랫폼C, 한국노동안전보건연구소, 황금빛살미얀마공동체, (사)공감직업환경의학센터, (사)김용균재단, (사)이주민과함께, (사)이주와가치), 사회민주당 경기도당, 성공회 용산-혜화나눔의집, 성공회수원나눔의집, 생명안전 시민넷, 수원시글로벌청소년드림센터, 수원여성회, 수원외국인복지센터, 수원이주민센터, (사)시화노동정책연구소, (사)아시아의 창, 아주대학교 노학연대 가로등, 안산시글로벌청소년센터, 어게인, 여주이주민지원센터, 오산다솜교회, 오산이주노동자센터, 외국인복지센터, 외국인이주·노동운동협의회(남양주시외국인복지센터, (사협)다문화너머서, 모두를위한이주인권문화센터, 부천이주노동복지센터, 순천이주민지원센터, 아산이주노동자센터, 아시아인권문화연대, 외국인이주노동자인권을위한모임, 원불교서울외국인센터, 의정부이주노동자센터, 이주민센터동행, 인천외국인노동자센터, 파주이주노동자센터샬롬의집, 포천나눔의집이주민지원센터, (사)한국이주민건강협회위프렌즈, (사)한국이주여성인권센터), 우리동네연구소, 이주구금대응네트워크((사)한국알트루사 난민과함께살기, DLG공익인권센터, 공익법단체 두루, 공익법센터 어필, 공익인권법재단 공감, 난민인권센터, 대한불교조계종 사회노동위원회, 소수자난민인권네트워크, 아시아평화를향한이주MAP, 외국인이주·노동운동협의회, 울산이주민센터, 용인이주노동자쉼터, 이주노동자인권·노동권 실현을 위한 대구경북지역연대회의, 이주노동자평등연대, 이주민센터친구, 이주민지원공익센터 감사와 동행, 이주여성인권포럼, 천주교인권위원회, 트랜스보더링랩, 화성외국인보호소방문시민모임 마중), 이주노동연구모임 마르코, 이주노동자 인권·노동권 실현을 위한 대구경북지역연대회의(약칭 대경이주연대회의, 경북북부이주노동자센터, 경주이주노동자센터, 노동해방을위한좌파활동가대구결집, 대구경북인도주의실천의사협의회, 대구노동세상, 대구사람장애인자립생활센터, 대구이주민선교센터(북부), 대구이주민선교센터(현풍), 땅과자유, 무지개인권연대, 민주노총경북지역본부, 민주노총대구지역본부, 민주사회를위한변호사모임대구지부, 성서공단지역지회, 이주민 건강권 실현을 위한 동행, 이주와가치, 인권운동연대, 장애인지역공동체, 노동당경북도당, 노동당대구시당, 녹색당대구시당, 정의당대구시당, 진보당대구시당, 기본소득당 대구시당), 이주노동자평등연대(건강권 실현을 위한 보건의료단체연합(건강권 실현을 위한 행동하는 간호사회, 건강사회를 위한 약사회, 건강사회를 위한 치과의사회, 노동건강연대, 인도주의실천의사협의회, 참의료실현청년한의사회, 노동당, 노동사회과학연구소, 노동전선, 녹색당, 대한불교조계종사회노동위원회, 성공회용산-혜화나눔의집, 민변노동위원회, 사회진보연대, 이주노동자노동조합(MTU), (사)이주노동희망센터, 이주노동자운동후원회, 이주민센터친구, 인권운동네트워크 바람, 전국민주노동조합총연맹, 전국불안정노동철폐연대, 지구인의정류장, 천주교인권위원회, 필리핀공동체카사마코, 한국비정규노동센터), 이주민법률지원센터 모모, 이주민연대 샬롬의 집, 이주배경아동청소년기본권보호를위한네트워크, 이주여성인권포럼, 인권교육온다, 인권운동네트워크 바람, 작은따옴표, 전국민주노동조합총연맹 경기지역본부, 전국불안정노동철폐연대, 전남이주노동자인권네트워크, 정만천하 이주여성협회, 정의당 경기도당, 정치하는엄마들, 지구인의 정류장, 차별없는이주민건강권연대(가톨릭노동상담소, 건강세상네트워크, 경기이주평등연대, (사)공감직업환경의학센터, 공익인권법재단 공감, 금속노조대구지부 성서공단지역지회, 노동권연구소 제갈현숙 연구위원, 보건의료단체연합, 울산이주민센터, 이주노동자평등연대, 이주민건강권실현을위한 동행, 이주민통번역협동조합 링크, 이주민과함께, 이주와인권연구소, 전남이주노동자인권네트워크, 재단법인 동천 권영실 변호사, 창원경남국립대경상대병원 김영수 교수, 창원이주민센터, 한국노동안전보건연구소, 화성외국인보호소방문시민모임 마중), 천주교인권위원회, 천주교의정부교구 이주사목위원회, 충북이주노동인권모임 미나리, 평화통일시흥시민모임, 한국노동안전보건연구소, 한국이주여성인권센터, 한국이주인권센터, 한국여성정치네트워크, 해피체인지 인권복지연구소, 화성노동안전네트워크, 화성시글로벌청소년센터