Press Conference for Syrian Refugees Trapped in the Incheon Airport On World Refugee Day 

On June 20, World Refugee Day, the Social Affairs and Labor Relations Committee together with nonprofit civic organizations held the press conference to demand the release of the Syrian refugees currently detained at the Incheon International Airport.

Last November, 28 Syrian asylum seekers was denied entry into Korea at the Incheon Airport and not allowed to apply for refugee status by the Korean government. Resultingly, they were stuck at the temporary shelter, very inhumane with no windows and no beds, only with one shower each for men and women, for the past 6 months.

As of December 2015, the total number of Syrian who applied for refugee status in Korea was 1,052, and out of them, only 3 earned the status and 644 were given the permission for humanitarian stay. Even if including those with humanitarian stay permit, which doesn't grant government support like medical insurances unlike refugee status when calculating the number of refugee acceptance to Korea, Korea allows only 0.01% of the total Syrian asylum seekers.

It is not surprising when looking at the Korea's poorest records regarding the statistics on refugees; 3.8% recognition rate out of the total applications, 0% refugees' winning rate in the administrative litigation, and the lowest approval rate through the screening of the Ministry of Justice. The records are by far lower than average rate of other developed countries and this shows the Korea's lowest understanding on refugees.