Broker Arrested for Earning 200 Million KRW After Arranging Fake Refugees for 171 Foreigners

Accompanying the Authorities After Preparing and Submitting Documents with False Reasons

A broker who falsely applied for refugee status for 171 Pakistanis and pocketed over 180 million won has been arrested.

On the 28th, the Ministry of Justice's Incheon Airport Immigration Office announced that Korean national A (56 years old, male, naturalized Pakistani) was sent to the Incheon District Prosecutors' Office on the 20th on charges of violating the Immigration Control Act for preparing fake refugee applications for 171 foreigners, including Pakistanis who entered Korea for illegal employment.

During an analysis of the recent surge in refugee applications from Pakistanis who entered with business visas (invited by domestic small and medium-sized enterprises), the Incheon Airport Immigration Office confirmed the involvement of broker A and launched an investigation.

As a result of the investigation, A charged each of the 171 Pakistanis, who entered disguised as tourists or for business purposes, between 1 million and 1.2 million won and prepared refugee applications with false statements such as "The applicant is being chased by government troops and police for attending rallies opposing the government as an opposition party supporter," and "Government troops and police are trying to kill me." A even accompanied them to the Immigration Office to facilitate the refugee applications.

In particular, to prevent the illegal employment of the Pakistanis who were given false refugee applications from being detected, A obtained false residence documents from goshiwons near the Immigration Office instead of their actual residences and reported these as their domestic addresses. The applicants also memorized and testified to the fake refugee reasons during interviews.

An official from the Incheon Airport Immigration Office stated, "Regarding the 171 foreigners who made false refugee applications through Mr. A, we will strictly respond under the Immigration Control Act by investigating and deporting them upon extension of their stay, and take firm action against false refugee applicants and brokers who abuse the refugee screening system."