In a world where violence forces thousands of families to flee their homes each day, June 20th marks the day to show that the global community stands with refugees.
On this World Refugee Day,... our Oh Soo-young sheds light on how Jeju Island is supporting hundreds of asylum seekers who fled war-ravaged Yemen.
Hundreds of asylum seekers from the gulf nation of Yemen may soon find places to work and live on South Korea's southern resort island of Jeju.
The provincial government recently held two job fairs,... and has granted around 300 Yemenis the right to work on the island, although they haven't yet been granted official refugee status.
They're expected to find jobs in restaurants, fish farms and other fishing-related businesses.
"Before decisions are made on their humanitarian rights to stay,... we have granted them employment permits through the immigration law, which is separate from the Refugee Act."
Over the last five months, around 520 people from Yemen have applied to stay as refugees.
That number alone is twelve-times higher than the total for Korea for the whole of last year.
Most of the Yemeni asylum seekers are believed to have crossed over from Malaysia earlier this year as Jeju Island offers up to 30 days visa-free travel for most foreigners.
In 2013, South Korea became the first Asian country to enforce a stand-alone law on protecting refugees.
Under the law, those who apply for refugee status can register for basic living expenses -- up to 400 U.S. dollars a month-- before they're granted refugee status and the right to work.
While there has been fierce opposition from some locals and civic groups over accepting such an influx of Yemenis, the National Human Rights Commission has urged the government to better support the asylum seekers.
Humanitarian groups have been providing assistance and medical check-ups,... while Jeju authorities are also aiming to procure accommodation and further sources of income for the group, which includes men, women and children.
"In case of economic difficulties, Jeju City is considering a certain amount of financial support for basic living expenses."
According to the UN Refugee Agency, more than 280-thousand Yemenis had fled their country as of November last year ,... after a bloody civil war broke out in 2015.
Oh Soo-young, Arirang News.
