Immigration Cheong Likely to Be Han Dong-hoon's 'Final Task' Before Running... "Under Discussion with Related Ministries"

There is speculation that Han Dong-hoon, Minister of Justice, will officially announce his candidacy for next year's general election after completing the establishment of the 'Immigration Agency,' a key initiative he set forth upon taking office.

Minister of Justice Han Dong-hoon attended the opening ceremony of the Korean Language Proficiency and Social Integration Program CBT Evaluation Daejeon Center in Daejeon Metropolitan City on the morning of the 21st and was welcomed by supporters as he got out of the car. [Joint Coverage] [Image Source=Yonhap News]

According to Asia Economy's report on the 22nd, the Ministry of Justice has drafted a plan for the establishment of the Immigration Agency and is explaining it to related ministries while discussing details to finalize the content. After attending the opening ceremony of the Korean Language Proficiency Test Center (CBT) in Daejeon the previous day, Minister Han told reporters, "We will propose the bill at an appropriate time." A representative from the Ministry of Justice's Immigration and Immigration Management System Improvement Task Force also told Asia Economy in a phone interview, "Although the exact timing has not been decided, we are making efforts to propose the bill within this year."

In political circles, there is speculation that Minister Han will actively prepare for the general election after establishing the Immigration Agency. It is also rumored that the reason Minister Han was excluded from the large-scale cabinet reshuffle in early December by the Presidential Office was related to the Immigration Agency. It is said that time was given so that Minister Han could complete the establishment of the Immigration Agency, which he emphasized as a key policy, and then run in the general election. When Minister Han was asked about the possibility of running in the general election after attending the '2023 Korea Population Forum' on the 20th, he replied, "I have many important tasks. I will work hard on important matters," which is interpreted in the same context. The day before, Minister Han visited the CBT Center and KAIST in Daejeon, and on the 24th, he plans to visit HD Hyundai Heavy Industries; all these visits are related to policies aimed at attracting excellent foreign talent, directly or indirectly connected to the Immigration Agency.

It has been one year since Minister Han began pushing for the establishment of the Immigration Agency. Under his direction, the Ministry of Justice officially started preparations last November by enacting the 'Regulations on the Establishment and Operation of the Immigration and Immigration Management System Improvement Task Force.' The collection of opinions from experts and related agencies had been ongoing since August of last year through various forums and seminars. The Immigration Policy Committee, an advisory body composed of 20 members including 18 external experts, held two meetings last November and this March. The Improvement Task Force has operated as an autonomous body at the discretion of the Minister of Justice. Since there was no department in the Ministry of Justice solely responsible for immigration-related tasks, civil servants were seconded from various departments to handle their original duties while also managing tasks necessary for establishing the Immigration Agency. Starting this month, marking one year, the task force will continue operations as a temporary organization in accordance with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's government organization management guidelines. A task force official said, "Personnel may be reinforced depending on future circumstances."

The establishment of the Immigration Agency is the policy that Minister Han has invested the most time in. Since a new institution had to be created, government consensus was a priority. Procedures such as budget allocation and explanations to the National Assembly must also be followed. It was necessary to consolidate immigration-related policies that were dispersed across ministries, and many opportunities were provided to sufficiently gather opinions, as support and opposition to the Immigration Agency were more polarized than expected in the field. There was also a need to cautiously proceed with the establishment phase to address negative perceptions and concerns about side effects regarding immigrants currently coming to Korea.

The legal community views the push for establishing the Immigration Agency positively. Especially as the number of foreigners residing in Korea continues to increase, there is a consensus that establishing the Immigration Agency is an urgent and important task that cannot be delayed. According to the '2022 Local Government Foreign Resident Status' report released by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety on the 8th, the number of foreigners residing in Korea reached a record high of 2.26 million as of November last year. Ansan City in Gyeonggi Province, where foreigners account for 14% of the city’s population, officially announced its intention to host the Immigration Agency on the 14th.

However, concerns have also been raised that if the influx of foreigners increases along with the establishment of the Immigration Agency, the safety of Korean citizens could be threatened by illegal immigrants or foreign criminals. Minister Han emphasized, "This does not mean accepting immigrants indiscriminately. We will strictly manage their stay and deport as many as we accept." He added, "If it goes toward (low-wage) labor or (multicultural) family issues, in 10 years, serious discrimination combining race and wealth gaps will arise, and we must prevent such problems. Until now, Korea has had no ministry responsible for this role, but now we need a place that can think about this issue 24 hours a day."