Justice ministry refuses to accept war-fleeing Russians as refugees

• Published date: 01 March 2023
• Publication title: The Korea Times

The Ministry of Justice in Korea said, Wednesday, it decided to appeal a recent ruling by a local court in favor of Russian men seeking refugee status after fleeing the military draft in their home country that has been engaged in a war against Ukraine.

Three Russians had sought asylum in Korea, but the ministry rejected their requests, prompting them to file complaints against the Incheon Immigration Office. On Feb. 14, the Incheon District Court ordered the immigration authority to review refugee applications submitted by two of the Russians, while dismissing a complaint filed by another man who was in a similar situation.

The ministry said it cannot accept as refugees the two Russians who had won the legal case, due to the precedent it would leave on the country's immigration office and set an example for future asylum seekers to Korea.

The ministry said that if the two Russians, aged 34 and 38, were granted refugee status, it will attract many other asylum seekers fleeing from conscription in their own countries.

The ministry said its decision was based on past rulings by the country's Supreme Court and legal standards of international judiciary circles, which stated that refusals of conscription cannot constitute the sole ground for acknowledging refugee...