The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) recommended Wednesday that the justice minister reform the immigration system to prevent foreigners denied refugee status from being repatriated before their legal right to appeal expires.

The rights watchdog made the recommendation in response to a petition filed in November by an activist on behalf of a Burundian woman who claimed she intended to appeal after being denied a refugee status review in South Korea, but immigration officials interfered with her attempt.

The woman sought asylum due to persecution in her home country due to her husband who was placed on a wanted listed for political activities.

Immigration officials, however, decided not to refer her case for a refugee status review and denied her permission to enter South Korea in July last year.

The NHRC eventually dismissed the petition, determining that the immigration office in question initially ordered the repatriation of the asylum seeker against her will but later withdrew the decision afte
r confirming her plan to appeal the denial.

The watchdog, however, found that there are not sufficient detailed procedures or manuals regarding the maintenance of waiting rooms for those waiting repatriation and handling unexpected repatriation cases.

The commission recommended that the justice minister enhance the relevant system to ensure that foreigners denied a refugee status review are not forcibly repatriated while the legal period for appealing the decision is still active.

Source: Yonhap News Agency