Foreign Detention Center's 'Saeukkyeokgi'... "Then Go Back to Your Country" Refugee Hatred

Some Netizens Respond "Acceptable Measures... If You Dislike It, Leave Korea"
Experts Say "Justifying Violence by Blaming Victims' Behavior Is Wrong"

Mr. A in the 'shrimp breaking' position at the detention center for foreigners. Photo by Duroo Corporation

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoon Seul-gi] Controversy has arisen over reports that harsh treatment, including so-called "shrimp breaking" torture?where hands and feet are bound behind the back?was inflicted at the Ministry of Justice’s Gyeonggi Hwaseong Foreigners' Detention Center under the Immigration and Foreigners Policy Headquarters. However, some argue that such measures were justified. They sympathize with the Ministry of Justice’s explanation that the victim of the harsh treatment was in an uncontrollable state due to violent behavior. Experts have pointed out that the Ministry of Justice’s attitude, which seems to condone violent acts, is leading to refugee discrimination.

On the 28th of last month, the legal representatives of Mr. A, a Moroccan national in his 30s, submitted a petition to the National Human Rights Commission at the end of June, claiming that he was subjected to harsh treatment while detained at the Hwaseong Foreigners' Detention Center. The foreigners' detention center is a facility where foreigners who have received deportation orders stay temporarily within the country until they are repatriated to their home countries.

Mr. A claimed that he was effectively tortured at this facility through shrimp breaking torture, punitive solitary confinement, and forced wearing of equipment not stipulated by regulations. At a press conference (press release) on the 29th, Mr. A stated, "I requested external medical treatment for a severe toothache, but the detention center staff refused and took me to solitary confinement under special custody," adding, "I suffered from extreme tooth pain all day in solitary confinement, but they neglected me until I drank two bottles of shampoo."

Mr. A said, "They committed physical and mental crimes against me. I needed monthly medical care and treatment, but the detention center treated me without any knowledge or consideration for my illness or health," and added, "Human rights violations occur here every moment. We are confined 24 hours a day in one room, behind bars." While acknowledging that he caused a disturbance, Mr. A lamented, "That was the only way I could resist the unjust violence I experienced."

The detention center explained that Mr. A’s continuous violent behavior and self-harm, including demands for external hospital treatment, made such measures unavoidable. Director Gil Kang-muk of the detention center emphasized in an interview with MBC on the 28th, "Binding the movements of the hands and feet was a minimal measure," and "The purpose was entirely to protect this person’s life and physical safety."

As the incident became known, heated debates arose in an online community with differing opinions. Netizen B said, "If someone causes a disturbance, self-harms, and damages property, it is a situation that can be reasonably understood." Another netizen, C, responded, "If they are treated like that, why should they stay in Korea? Let’s deport them to their home country," adding, "The human rights of our detention center staff are more important than those of refugee claimants." Netizen D expressed concern, saying, "Still, that is not acceptable," and "Isn’t this a human rights violation?"

On the 28th of last month, a Moroccan refugee applicant in his 30s, who was quarantined at the Hwaseong Foreigners' Detention Center in Gyeonggi Province, claimed to have been tortured in a shrimp-breaking position.
Photo by MBC News Capture

However, the closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage from the detention center released by Mr. A’s side shows him bound in the shrimp breaking position with non-regulated equipment such as cable ties and tape. Despite evidence suggesting harsh treatment, discriminatory remarks effectively telling the victim, who is a refugee, to "go back to your country" have been pouring out instead of appropriate relief.

In response to the controversy, the Ministry of Justice stated on the 29th, "It was a minimal measure to protect the life and safety of the individual," and added, "We are conducting a fact-finding investigation at the Human Rights Bureau level regarding the issues raised by some media and organizations." They also said, "We will take necessary follow-up measures based on the investigation results," and "We will review whether there are any regulatory gaps regarding the use of protective equipment and prepare supplementary measures."

However, the nonprofit organization 'Duru,' a group of public interest lawyers, held a press conference that day and criticized, "The Ministry of Justice and Hwaseong Foreigners' Detention Center are consistently excusing their actions by citing the victim’s usual behavior to prevent self-harm and disturbances," and "They are claiming that the victim 'deserved such treatment'."

Additionally, Shim Ah-jung, an activist from the Hwaseong Foreigners' Detention Center Visitors' Civic Group Majung, criticized the Ministry of Justice’s explanation, saying, "It was inappropriate to justify the long-term confinement in the shrimp breaking position using handcuffs, and the use of illegal tools such as cable ties and box tape to fix head protection equipment by blaming the victim’s past behavior," and urged, "The Ministry of Justice must redefine safety and protection and work to prevent recurrence."

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