◀ Anchor ▶
Since Russian President Putin issued an order to mobilize for war in Ukraine in September, Russian youths have continued to escape.
At our Incheon International Airport, five young Russians entered the country and applied for refugee status, but they have been staying at the airport for several months without even being screened.
Reporter Lee Yoo-gyeong covered the story exclusively.
◀ Report ▶
Departure waiting room in the security area of Incheon International Airport.
Chocolate muffins and orange juice provided instead of meals are placed at the feet of lying foreigners.
Most of them are in untouched condition.
At other mealtimes, muffins with a different color are served with fructose juice.
[자샤르/러시아인]
“This is what we eat. This is breakfast and it’s terrible.”
Young men eating muffins with tired expressions on one side.
They are Russians who came to Korea in defiance of the Russian government’s order to mobilize reserve forces.
[아르쫑/러시아인(가명)]
“It was dangerous for me to be in Russia (participating in anti-government rallies), so I left Russia.”
[아흐마드/러시아인(가명)]
“I didn’t want to kill anyone. So I completely left and came to Korea.”
Their explanation is that they chose to go to Korea because they had family or acquaintances in Korea, or because it was a safe and democratic country.
However, these five people have been unable to leave the airport and have been staying in the departure waiting room for up to two months.
I applied for refugee status, but the Ministry of Justice judged that I was “not even qualified to be screened.”
Avoiding military service cannot be a reason for applying for refugee status, and there is also suspicion that they are trying to be recognized as refugees for economic reasons.
As a result, they have to leave for Russia once more, but they have filed a lawsuit in the Korean court saying that they cannot admit it.
[미샤/러시아인(가명)]
“I can’t kill people for religious reasons. I’m very perplexed as to why I can’t get refugee status.”
You must stay in the departure waiting room until the outcome of the lawsuit comes out.
It was difficult to buy food because I ran out of money, so I ate only muffins and juice that were provided for three meals a day, and I developed stomach ailments and tooth decay.
[아르쫑/러시아인(가명)]
“When you go to the bathroom, you get urine the same color as juice. It’s okay to be here for as little as three days, but it’s deadly to your health for a long time.”
There are not enough beds, so it is common to lie on the bare floor or a chair to sleep.
Since there are no windows, it is difficult to get outside air, but there is no promise of how long we will have to live like this.
[아르쫑/러시아인(가명)]
“The trial was held following waiting for three months, and the stress was very high.”
As related organizations continued to raise issues, the Ministry of Justice began providing one meal a day, chicken and rice, two weeks ago.
It has been pointed out that the current system of determining eligibility for screening before screening whether a refugee is correct increases the barriers to refugee application.
From 2013, when the system was introduced, to 2020, 67% of cases were judged to be “not eligible for examination” and then corrected by courts and others.
In the case of the departure waiting area, it is increasingly pointed out that a separate facility should be prepared and operated near the airport, as in France or the Netherlands.
This is Lee Yoo-gyeong from MBC News.
Video coverage: Heo Won-cheol / Video editing: Ryu Da-ye
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