| The National Human Rights Commission of Korea |
By Park Si-soo
The state human rights watchdog urges the justice ministry not to lock asylum seekers in a "prison-like" facility while their asylum applications are under examination.
The National Human Rights Commission of Korea also called on the ministry to treat asylum seekers "in ways that better respect their human rights" and conduct pre-detention physical and mental health checkups thoroughly.
The watchdog made the suggestion after inspecting three immigration processing centers ― in Hwaseong, Cheongju and Yeosu ― and interviewing asylum seekers there.
Thirty-six foreigners seeking asylum are being detained, including some locked up for more than three years, the commission said. It said the asylum seekers spent most of their time inside a "cell," so many were suffering a chronic sense of loss or helplessness.
To tackle this, the commission asked the ministry to give them "freedom" ― at least in a designated area ― to talk and interact with others. The watchdog also discovered the centers do not conduct pre-detention tests for infectious diseases, leaving detained foreigners facing a constant health risk.