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‘Though the political situation is in chaos, please pay attention to the human rights of migrants.’

입력 2025.03.17 17:52

Park Chae-yeon, Seo Hyun-hee

Jin Jung-young (36), who recently attended a rally in favor of the impeachment of President Yoon Suk-yeol, learned about “migrant issues” at the square. “After coming to the square, I became interested in the stories of the weak,” Jin said. “People who used to shout anti-communist slogans are now raising their voices by actively using hatred against the Chinese. Migrants should have the same rights as me.”

Children hold signs that they made at an event co-hosted by nationwide migrant human rights organizations at the Seoul Station Plaza on March 16. Reporter Jeong Hyo-jin

Hong Seo-hee (26), a university student who has always been interested in migrant issues, had more complicated thoughts when she went out to the square to support Yoon's impeachment. “I wondered whether the 'people' in Article 1 of the Constitution, which was often mentioned in the square, include migrants, and to whom,” Hong said. She held up a sign that read, "The daily life that martial law destroys does not distinguish between nationalities."

More than 190 migrant human rights organizations, including the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, held an event in front of Seoul Station on March 16 ahead of the International Day for the “International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination” on the 21st. The day commemorates the 69 people who were shot dead by police in 1960 while protesting against apartheid in South Africa.

Participants were concerned about the sentiment of “hatred against China” that has intensified since the declaration of martial law. Yoon Woo, an activist of the “LGBTQ Joint Action for the Resignation of Yoon Suk-yeol,” whose mother is a Taiwanese overseas Chinese, said, “Something like ‘Chinese are dirty’ is what my mother and I have heard countless times. Yoon created fake news to justify his martial law declaration and fuel hatred against Chhina among far-right groups. I am worried about how the fear and violence they have created will affect migrants in Korea.”

There have also been concerns about the intensified discriminatory policies against migrants under Yoon's administration. “The racist policy of exempting migrants from the minimum wage law must be stopped,” said Awi, an activist of the Women Migrants Human Rights Center of Korea, referring to Korea’s policy of regarding international students, marriage immigrant women, and others as “domestic workers.”

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“The Korean government is not only restricting migrants from changing workplaces, but also restricting them from moving from region to region,” said Udaya Rai, head of the Migrant Workers' Union. ”Many industrial sites cannot function without migrant workers, yet all migrant labor laws and systems, including the Employment Permit System, deprive them of their basic rights.”

Participants also said, “The Korean government is tightening racist policies by turning a blind eye to and sometimes encouraging those who encourage hatred. The government should respect migrants as human beings and treat them without discrimination in all aspects of labor, health, and social security.”

※This article has undergone review by a professional translator after being translated by an AI translation tool.