The Story of Mr. Lee, a Muhojeokja, Getting a Resident Registration Card After 44 Years?

Gwanak-gu Discovers Stateless Mr. Lee During Relief Efforts for April Last Year Shillim-dong Goshiwon Fire Victims... Gwanak-gu Welfare Administration Takes Full Responsibility from Identifying Welfare Blind Spots to Providing Tailored Support for Beneficiaries

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Gwanak-gu (Mayor Park Junhee) held a ceremony to deliver a resident registration card to Mr. Lee (44), who was discovered in a welfare blind spot during the Shinlim-dong goshiwon fire incident last April.

Mr. Lee was an undocumented person found during the relief process for victims of the Shinlim-dong goshiwon fire. Around the age of five, after his father told him to buy snacks and ice cream and go on a long trip together, he got on a bus with his father but became a lost child due to his father's abandonment and was admitted to a childcare facility. He spent his middle school years there, but due to severe bullying and beatings by classmates, he had no choice but to leave the facility and thereafter lived moving between sewing factories and other places.

However, some workplaces took advantage of the fact that Mr. Lee was not registered as a resident, treating him carelessly or not paying him proper wages. Since he was not registered, he could not assert his rightful claims even when harmed, and without health insurance, he could not receive timely hospital treatment when injured or ill, having to buy painkillers at pharmacies instead.

Three years ago, Mr. Lee attempted to establish his family relationship registration on his own but gave up due to obstacles in preparing various necessary documents and obtaining a guarantor.

Then, during the Shinlim-dong goshiwon fire incident last April, the district office learned that Mr. Lee was undocumented while assessing and supporting the victims, and immediately formed a task force within the Welfare Policy Division to assist him.

The most urgent issue was establishing his surname and origin. Based on faint memories of the childcare facility in Eunpyeong-gu where he spent his childhood and the Busan Juvenile House, the district office secured basic data with the cooperation of the education office and related institutions but faced another problem.

The last required document was to have a guarantor who could verify Mr. Lee’s identity, but as he had lived as a runaway and wanderer since his minor years, he had no acquaintances willing to provide a guarantor.

In response, the Welfare Policy Division Director and Welfare Planning Team Leader of Gwanak-gu, who knew Mr. Lee’s situation best through multiple consultations during the victim relief process, provided joint guarantees and helped untangle the situation.

Starting with the submission of the application for permission to establish surname and origin to the Family Court in May last year, and through multiple visits to the court to supplement documents, everyone worked hard to provide administrative support, resulting in Mr. Lee finally receiving his resident registration card this January.

Mr. Lee said, “Although I have been born into this world for 44 years, today, receiving my ID card is the first time I have been born administratively. I never dreamed that last year’s goshiwon fire would be the beginning of hope. I sincerely thank everyone who has supported me like family in every way.”

The district office plans to continue providing tailored support so that Mr. Lee can live as a healthy member of society by designating him as a recipient of the National Basic Livelihood Security, offering economic support such as living expenses, housing benefits, and medical benefits, and later connecting him with job opportunities.

Mayor Park Junhee, who personally delivered the resident registration card that day, said, “I hope he lives proudly as a member of the Republic of Korea, and I will infinitely support the bright future that lies ahead.”