More than 800 foreign minors held at detention centers in last 5 years: data
A total of 886 foreign minors were kept in South Korea's state-run immigration detention facilities between the beginning of 2020 and May 23 this year, a lawmaker revealed Monday, citing data from the Ministry of Justice.
According to data obtained by Rep. Han Chang-min of the Social Democratic Party of Korea, most minors held in South Korea's immigration detention centers, located in Hwaseong, Cheongju, and Yeosu, are confined alongside parents who either lacked legal residency or were under deportation orders.
While South Korea does not issue deportation orders to minors, children are permitted to remain in detention if a detained parent wants their child to stay with them. South Korean law does not prohibit the detention of children in immigration facilities.
There were as many as 13 cases in which foreign minors were kept in custody for over 100 days. In 2020, a 1-year-old child spent 141 days in detention, while an 18-year-old was held for 631 days in detention last year. Korean law defines those under the age of 19 as minors.
The immigration office can extend the detention every three months, but the total period cannot exceed nine months, according to the revised Immigration Control Act, passed by the National Assembly earier March. However, if the individual is seeking asylum or involved in legal proceedings, the period may be prolonged to as long as 20 months.
'Detaining migrant children is a clear violation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and should be regarded as a serious human rights concern by both the Korean public and the international community," Han said in a press release.
The convention, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1989, aims to protect the rights of all children and ensure their well-being, including their rights to survival, development, and protection from abuse. It has been ratified by 196 countries as of last year. South Korea joined the convention in 1991.
The lawmaker also voiced concerns over the poor conditions faced by migrant children in detention, saying they are 'held in cramped spaces alongside adults, without access to educational programs, or even basic child care services critical to their development.'
In April 2023, a Mongolian man residing in South Korea without legal status was arrested during a police crackdown and held at the Hwaseong Foreigners' Detention Center for about 18 days along with his 3-year-old son, who reportedly needed regular hospital visits due to a congenital medical condition, according to local news reports.
Han urged immigration authorities to comply with their own regulations regarding the detention of migrant children.
Under the Justice Ministry's rules on the protection of foreign nationals in detention, if a foreign national under the age of 18 is held for more than one month, appropriate education may be provided based on the individual's age and abilities, and the facility may also outsource educational programs.
'More than three decades have passed since the country became a party to the international child rights convention, yet the government's mindset remains outdated and regressive,' Rep. Han said.
'I will continue working to revise the Immigration Control Act and the Child Welfare Act to fully prohibit the detention of foreign minors and ensure that migrant children have access to essential services, including counseling, foster care, and medical or institutional support.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Korea Herald
2 hours ago
- Korea Herald
US delays crucial ‘2+2' trade meeting with Korea
Seoul weighs $100 billion US investment from top chaebol groups to avert looming tariffs A high-level trade meeting between South Korea and the US was abruptly called off Thursday, just one day before it was set to take place in Washington, due to US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's "urgent schedule." The delay has sparked concerns in Seoul as next week's tariff deadline approaches with insufficient time for a potential breakthrough. South Korea's Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Koo Yoon-cheol was set to depart for Washington when the US notified Seoul of the last-minute decision. Koo canceled the trip after receiving the notice while waiting at Incheon International Airport, just an hour before his scheduled flight. The now-delayed '2+2" dialogue was to take place between Koo and Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo from Korea, as well as Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer from the US. It would have marked the first such meeting under President Lee Jae Myung's new Cabinet. The high-stakes talks were seen in Seoul as a critical opportunity to make a breakthrough in trade talks before the Aug. 1 deadline, when a 25 percent 'reciprocal tariff' will be imposed on all Korean goods unless a new deal is reached. "Washington has apologized multiple times for postponing the meeting and proposed rescheduling the meeting between Bessent and Koo as soon as possible," Seoul's Finance Ministry said. While the US did not clarify the nature of Bessent's scheduling conflict, reports say he may accompany US President Donald Trump's trip to Scotland on July 25-29. This means it could be virtually impossible to reschedule the '2+2' meeting before the tariff deadline, further dimming hopes of a negotiated resolution in time. Despite the disruption, Yeo and Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan, who are already in Washington, will continue consultations with their US counterparts, including Greer, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and Secretary of Interior Doug Burgum, according to the Industry Ministry. South Korea has been pushing for reduced tariff rates or exemptions through a comprehensive deal covering both tariffs and broader economic cooperation. Korean exports currently face a 10 percent base tariff with additional levies imposed on key products, such as 25 percent tariffs on automobiles and auto parts, and 50 percent on steel and aluminum. Without a meaningful advancement in negotiations, this baseline tariff is scheduled to increase to 25 percent on Aug. 1, intensifying economic strain on the export-dependent country. Further adding to the pressure, Japan struck a deal with the US on Wednesday. The latter agreed to lower its tariff rate against Japan from 25 percent to 15 percent in exchange for a whopping $550 billion investment in the US and a difficult concession to open its market for more American automobiles and rice. Observers say Japan's deal could serve as a benchmark for South Korea in its own negotiations, as the two countries share similar trade dynamics with the US: both run comparable trade deficits and rely heavily on the US market for key exports, such as automobiles, semiconductors and electronics. Like Japan, South Korea is considering an investment package exceeding $100 billion with participation from the country's major conglomerates, including Samsung, SK, Hyundai Motor and LG, according to industry sources. The figure is expected to grow as additional corporate and government contributions are finalized. Seoul had planned to propose a $100 billion package during the now-postponed talks. President Lee was scheduled to meet with Samsung Electronics Chair Lee Jae-yong on Thursday afternoon, according to local media reports, with discussions expected to focus on the US investment and tariffs. Lee has held similar one-on-one meetings since last week, seeing Hyundai Motor Chair Chung Euisun on July 14, LG Group Chair Koo Kwang-mo on July 15, Hanwha Group Vice Chair Kim Dong-kwan on Tuesday and SK Group Chair Chey Tae-won on Wednesday. Meanwhile, National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac sought to dispel speculation that he was unable to have a face-to-face meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio during his visit to Washington. Wi explained that Rubio was urgently summoned by Trump, and was unable to meet as the meeting ran longer than expected. Wi said that "sufficient coordination had taken place via phone call" with Rubio, and that they had agreed to have an additional consultation, with the specific time and method to be arranged through working-level coordination. "The report that the US side refused the meeting, resulting in the cancellation of the talks, is inaccurate. Such misinformation not only undermines the reputations of the individuals involved, including Wi and Rubio, but could also negatively impact the trust between Korea and the US in the middle of sensitive communication," Wi said in a written statement.
Korea Herald
9 hours ago
- Korea Herald
Lee to dispatch special envoys to Poland, Vietnam, Australia, Germany
President Lee Jae Myung will dispatch special envoys to Poland, Vietnam, Australia and Germany to deliver personal letters and discuss ways to expand bilateral cooperation, the presidential office said Friday. The envoys will depart consecutively starting Sunday and will meet with key officials in each country to convey Lee's message and explore opportunities to enhance friendly and cooperative ties, according to presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung. The delegation to Poland, comprised of Reps. Park Jie-won, Eeo Ki-kyu and Jin Sun-mee of the ruling Democratic Party, will leave on Sunday for a five-day visit. During their stay, they plan to meet with government and parliamentary officials to review the growing defense industry cooperation between the two nations and discuss ways to further develop their strategic partnership, Kang said. The Vietnam delegation will be led by former lawmaker Lee In-ki and include two additional DP lawmakers and will depart on Monday. The group will deliver Seoul's commitment to strengthening the comprehensive strategic partnership between the countries and will hold wide-ranging discussions on expanding practical cooperation particularly in infrastructure and energy. Former National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo will lead the Australian delegation, which is scheduled to leave on Monday for a four-day trip. The delegation will engage with Australian officials to discuss defense and defense industry ties, trade and supply chains and energy cooperation. The delegation to Germany will be headed by Lee Seog-yeon, a former minister of government legislation, and will depart on Wednesday. They plan to meet with German government officials to explore deeper cooperation in key sectors, such as manufacturing, digital transformation and artificial intelligence, as well as to exchange views on regional and global affairs. (Yonhap)
Korea Herald
12 hours ago
- Korea Herald
Ministers of defense, unification, veterans affairs appointed
South Korea sees 1st civilian Defense Minister in 64 years; reinstated Unification Minister urges swift restoration of inter-Korean communication channel President Lee Jae Myung has appointed Ahn Gyu-back as the Defense Minister, Chung Dong-young as the Unification Minister and Kwon Oh-eul as the Veterans Affairs Minister, the presidential office announced Friday. Including the prime minister, this brings the number of confirmed Cabinet ministers in the Lee administration to 16 out of the total 20 as of Friday. Ahn, a five-term lawmaker of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, said he would restore people's trust toward South Korea's military after the martial law crisis in December, during which national armed forces were deployed to the National Assembly. He added he would "not be bound by conventions and inaction" as the civilian leader of the Ministry of the National Defense. The new defense minister is a career politician who served as a member of the National Assembly's National Defense Committee from 2008 to 2025. He said he would navigate challenges faced by the South Korean military, such as a dwindling young population, the advancement of North Korea's nuclear and missile threat, heightened volatility in the geopolitical situation, and the fast-paced development of cutting-edge arms technologies, among others. He also stressed the need to achieve peace on the Korean Peninsula on the foundation of military strength. Chung, also a five-term lawmaker of the Democratic Party, visited Panmunjom, a village in the demilitarized zone in northern Gyeonggi Province, later on Friday. There, he called for a swift restoration of the communication channel between the two Koreas, as he inspected an inter-Korean emergency hotline in Panmunjom. The communication line has been cut off since April 2023. This is Chung's second time taking on the role of unification minister, having previously taken on the role from July 2004 to December 2005 under the late former President Roh Moo-hyun. Kwon vowed to boost support for veterans with low income and the bereaved families of war veterans, as well as increase rewards for the sacrifices veterans have made for the country, in his inaugural speech on Friday. Kwon was previously a conservative lawmaker from 1996 to 2008. As for the four remaining ministerial posts, Lee's administration awaits the confirmation hearing of two: Culture Minister nominee Chae Hwi-young and Land Minister nominee Rep. Kim Yun-duk. The nominees for education minister and gender equality minister recently dropped out due to controversies that grew over the course of their confirmation hearings.
