Ten Indian Nationals Falsely Claiming Refugee Status Referred in Bulk

Brokers A and B Detained and Sent to Prosecution
Police: "Refugee Act Needs Supplementary Measures"

Indian nationals who manipulated documents and fabricated stories to falsely apply for refugee status have been arrested in large numbers.

Yonhap News

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Narcotics Crime Investigation Unit announced on the 25th that they have sent 10 people, including Indian brokers A and B and 8 applicants, to prosecution on charges of violating the Immigration Control Act. Among them, A and B were detained.

According to the police, A and B, who are former refugees, are suspected of facilitating false refugee applications for Indians who entered the country on tourist visas (C-1) for employment purposes from December 2023 to March of last year.

They received between 300 and 1,000 US dollars per case and created false boarding documents for goshiwons (small lodging facilities) and fabricated reasons to include in the refugee applications. They paid one month's goshiwon fee, obtained boarding documents, and provided them to the refugee applicants. They also fabricated false reasons such as being "attacked by political groups (such as the Indian Republican Party)" for the applicants.

In July of last year, the police received intelligence from the immigration office that many false refugee applications were being submitted by foreigners listing specific goshiwons as their residence addresses, and began an investigation. They have currently secured a list of about several dozen people, and since many foreign workers with C-1 visas work in island areas, further investigations are ongoing.

False gosiwon application form written by an Indian broker and a false refugee application stating that her husband is abusing her. Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency

Additionally, the police believe that these individuals exploited the fact that even if refugee status is not recognized, applicants can obtain residence permits during the appeal process. In reality, procedures such as refugee application, objection, and litigation take an average of more than four years.

A police official stated, "The current Refugee Act has very limited grounds for restricting or canceling refugee recognition, and there are no limits on the processing period for the Refugee Committee's review decisions or the number of refugee applications." He added, "There is no regulation for deportation of false refugee applicants or criminals who do not require humanitarian protection, so supplementary measures are needed." He further said, "We will continue to investigate the remaining individuals as their whereabouts are identified."

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