Ministry of Justice Withdraws Appeal in Information Disclosure Lawsuit on 'Refugee Review Guidelines'

Seoul Central District Court. / Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] The guidelines for refugee screening, treatment, and stay, which serve as the standards for refugee examination, are expected to be disclosed.

According to the legal community on the 14th, the Ministry of Justice has decided not to appeal regarding the lawsuit to cancel the refusal to disclose information on the refugee recognition screening, treatment, and stay guidelines after losing in the appellate court.

Previously, the Seoul High Court 4-3 Division (Presiding Judges Kim Jaeho, Kwon Kihoon, Han Kyuhyun) ruled on the 30th of last month in favor of the plaintiff, the Refugee Human Rights Center, in the lawsuit to cancel the refusal to disclose information filed against the Minister of Justice, just as in the first trial.

However, unlike the first trial where the plaintiff won entirely and all information was ordered to be disclosed, the appellate court partially ruled in favor of the plaintiff, maintaining non-disclosure of the guidelines concerning refugee applicants whose passports and visas have expired.

This follows the precedent set by the Supreme Court that refugee-related guidelines are subject to disclosure except for parts deemed to affect national interests.

Although the Supreme Court ruled in 2007 to disclose the refugee recognition screening, treatment, and stay guidelines, the Ministry of Justice has continuously been criticized for selectively disclosing the guidelines thereafter.

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