Background Behind the Decrease in the Number of Afghans Transferred to Korea

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo In-ho] The scale of the transfer of Afghans who have cooperated with our government to Korea has been revealed to be smaller than initially planned.

This is interpreted as being due to the difficulty of bringing local people and their families who cooperated with Korea from Afghanistan, which has already been taken over by the Taliban, into the country.

The government maintained extreme security for the safety of the collaborators and even deployed military transport aircraft, but some Afghans who applied for evacuation apparently did not show up at the airport due to Taliban interference and other reasons.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the 25th, about 380 local staff and their families who supported government activities in Afghanistan are scheduled to arrive at Incheon International Airport on the 26th.

The originally planned number of evacuees was 427, so about 40 fewer people are arriving.

Since deciding on the domestic transfer in mid-August, the government maintained contact with them and arranged for them to gather at Kabul Airport in line with the dispatch of the government’s military transport aircraft, but it appears that dozens did not show up at the airport.

The final number is fluid, but some may not be able to escape at all due to Taliban interference and chaos around the airport.

The Taliban have set up checkpoints throughout Kabul, and with refugees crowding, it is difficult to even enter the airport.

Because of this, the United States and NATO member countries are also experiencing great difficulties in evacuating their nationals and collaborators.

The German government sent an aircraft on the 17th with plans to airlift thousands, but in the chaotic situation, only seven people boarded before departure.

Although 427 people were planned, the number has changed frequently as contact was lost while residents in provinces moved to the capital, Kabul.

Despite objections from the Group of Seven (G7) and others, the Taliban threatened that foreign troops must withdraw from Afghanistan and civilian evacuations must be completed by August 31.

U.S. President Joe Biden also stated that evacuation of U.S. nationals and Afghan collaborators will end on the 31st and that U.S. troops will be completely withdrawn.

Once the U.S. military, which guarantees the safety of the airport, withdraws, it is expected to be difficult for the Korean government to carry out the transfer operation alone.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.