Every year thousands of foreigners come to South Korea looking to achieve the Korean
Dream.
But some are finding the reality is often far from their expectations.
With the upcoming presidential election, Korea has a chance to lay out exact plans to protect
the rights and livelihood of migrants.
Shin Ye-eun tells us why.
"This is where migrants to South Korea start a new chapter in their lives.
Many of them coming through those gates hoping to achieve the Korean Dream.
That term mirrors the American Dream, held by migrants to the States hoping for a better
and fuller life.”
This man had hoped to achieve the Korean Dream by launching his own business.
He moved here from Myanmar...but instead of becoming a business owner… he has been living
as an undocumented immigrant for 22 years.
"After my student visa expired, I tried applying for a work visa, but I couldn't because I
had lost my passport.
I went to the embassy to apply for a new one, but the review process has been delayed to
this day.
Mostly because I used to be a democracy activist back home."
There are some 400-thousand undocumented migrants living in Korea, making up roughly 20 percent
of the foreign population.
All have different reasons for why they remain unregistered.
Seim said he and his friends have tried everything to gain legal status.
"I haven't been able to visit the hospital for more than 20 years.
And I understand that I can't enjoy the privileges of Korea because I can't pay taxes.
But I would like to know that there's a chance for people like me to become registered."
He says he could be killed if he returns to Myanmar.
So he tried to seek asylum, but was asked to pay a fine of over 25-thousand dollars.
He said he was more than willing to do so... but asked for a bit more flexibility.
"Of course I would like to pay.
But I can't.
I earn a little over 2-thousand dollars a month.
Half I send back home to Myanmar to my family.
I'm asking the Korean government to allow me to pay bit by bit, monthly."
Anna, another migrant who has lived in Korea for more than 20 years also asked for more
compassion.
"I would like to consider myself as a Korean but I haven't been naturalized yet.
But my whole life is here.
I met my husband here, we raise our son together.
I work at a hospital here.
As a Korean I want to bring my sick mother from Russia and take care of her."
Anna is an only child.
She says she's the only one left in her family who can take care of her mother.
To increase the chances of sponsoring her mother with permanent residence, Anna has
applied for naturalization.
But even if Anna becomes Korean, there is currently no law that would allow her to sponsor
her mother's visa.
"If the country isn't prepared to accept foreigners as their own citizens, international marriage
should be banned as a whole.
It's not that I regret getting married.
I just wish there were more systems for migrants to protect their rights."
Such systems are more established in the United States, which is known for its migrant associations
and English-learning programs.
"Immigration policies take up a big part of presidential elections, because the U.S. is
the land of immigrants.
Though policies vary based on which administration is in power, one thing doesn't change.
The voices of migrants are heard.
There are so many networks, associations where migrants can share information, file petitions
to make change.
Our association made Hangeul Day and Kimchi Day in New York."
While local experts say blueprinting exemplary countries like the U.S. definitely helps...
making immigration policies focused on the migrants living in Korea is even more important.
"We've only started seeing foreigners come to Korea...
after the 1988 Seoul Olympics when local companies were short on labor.
We've always remained a relatively homogeneous society.
So we need to launch immigration policies appropriate to Korea's unique atmosphere.
For instance, we need the public to first understand that migrants aren't stealing our
jobs."
Many migrant workers have helped immensely in manufacturing or agriculture, filling the
labor shortage caused by an aging population and low birthrate.
Another expert specializing in counseling and supporting immigrants said more can be
done to make the most of migrants' skills.
"We need to give out skilled worker visas to more migrant workers.
They're adding on to our national competitiveness, so we should help extend their stay and give
them more room to develop relative skillsets."
He said this would only be possible if policies were made in consideration of the rights of
each foreign migrant.
"Currently, most immigration policies focus on marriage.
But the issue of unregistered teens not being able to go to school, or children born into
an international household being the only ones taking what's called a 'multicultural
family class'.
We need to teach the Korean public not to discriminate and respect all cultures, not
just them."
With the presidential election coming up soon, I went to talk to the campaign teams of all
four presidential candidates to hear their take on migrant issues.
The ruling Democratic Party's candidate, Lee Jae-myung's campaign team said it is considering
making a committee for multicultural families.
"We will create a multicultural committee within our party and hear what problems international
families face and then create comprehensive policies.
From there, we will also try to expand discussions to include immigration policies."
The camp for main opposition People Power Party's Yoon Suk-yeol said it would consider
tweaking the current work visa permit system to allow further economic development.
"Many E9 workers reach higher skills, sufficient skills.
But nevertheless they have to leave the country...
Let such workers stay longer and also facilitate their transition to other statuses like E7
which are given to various kind of skilled workers."
The Sim Sang-jung campaign team from the Justice Party said the country needs to step up its
protection of refugees.
"Korea needs to amend its refugee law.
Refugees are basically human right violation victims.
We need to understand that their lives are at risk.
We should ease the standards on who is accepted as a refugee and help them during their stay."
And the campaign team for the minor opposition People's Party leader Ahn Cheol-soo called
for a single ministry to manage all immigration policies.
Currently, four ministries, from the Justice Ministry to the Ministry of Gender Equality
and Family, are mainly responsible for immigrant issues.
"We have the lowest birth rate in the world.
In three years' time we will be an aging society.
That's why immigration will be Korea's new survival tactic.
To do that, our camp believes that there should be a separate immigration office or ministry
in charge of relative duties...
so that we can avoid excessive spending on similar policies launched by different ministries."
As all camps said...
immigration policies need to be reviewed and strengthened...
now more than ever.
Because these policies will determine whether migrants can actually achieve the Korean Dream.
Shin Ye-eun, Arirang News."