New Guidelines For Korean Immigration Officials
This is an update of the news I posted last April about “a disturbing Korean Immigration crackdown operation” caught on tape which showed an undocumented Chinese woman being dragged and slapped by some abusive Korean Immigration officials in Daejon, South Korea. The footage, which was subsequently aired on major Korean news portals, have drawn lots of criticisms and protests from Korean migrant groups that questions the protocol used by these immigration officials in handling undocumented and unregistered foreigners in South Korea.
The Ministry of Justice, the governing body of the Korean Immigration Agency, released a new set of guidelines that will be used by the Immigration officers when dealing and apprehending the “illegal aliens of Korea” on the streets or in their workplaces.
The new protocol, which took effect last June 15, amended the old protocol accordingly:
A. At least one female Immigration officer must take part in every crackdown operation (the female officer will handle the arrest and, if needed, body-searching procedures for female undocumented foreigners.)
B. All Immigration investigation team will be requested to submit an investigation plan to their supervisor that includes detailed information (address, date, number of suspected undocumented foreigners) of the target site. (this rule is optional)
C. All apprehended undocumented foreigners during the crackdown procedures must be informed of their rights when subjected to interrogation. (see Miranda Law)
D. After every crackdown operation, the Immigration team must provide a summary report, detailing the events, procedures and various elements that transpired during the operation. This report can also be used as evidence for any possible queries or legal arguments that may occur after the course of action.
Unfortunately the new guidelines is only an administrative order, issued by the Ministry of Justice, it’s not mandated into law which means that Immigration officers that will violate the new policies will only be subjected to disciplinary actions within the halls of the agency and cannot be sued formally for any legal responsibilities.
