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Mar. 29  2024
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Embassies Demand Penalty for Overstay

Alien embassies in Korea are to blame for imposing penalty to their undocumented workers when they return to home country before voluntary reporting period.

Source  :  Asian Workers News No. 130 (May 19, 2002)

Alien embassies in Korea are to blame for imposing penalty to their undocumented workers when they return to home country before voluntary reporting period. One of showing case is the Uzebekistani Embassy in Seoul.
17 Uzebekistani migrant workers including Hasan,39 visited a Uzebekistani consul Haidal to ask returning their passport but the consul refused to allow it.
The consul Haidal requested to get the signature from Bladmir Choi, an official dispatched by the Ministry of Labour from Uzebekistan. Followed his words, those 17 Uzebekistani migrant workers have visited "Korea Jilin Resource" to meet deputy director Choi. The company "Korea Jilin Resource" is a company that send Uzebekistani workers to abroad. But the deputy director Choi force to pay penalty of $500 for under 6 months illegal stayer, $1000 from 6 months to year, $1500 to over 1 year. If they are not able to pay the penalty, he resist to sign. They were asked to get his signature to get their passport back.
To solve the situation, officials from Migrant Workers¡¯ Center Kyeongnam and Seoul Migrant Center visited the company with other Uzebekistani migrant workers to ask for the passport. But they refused to return it and said they would give them back at the airport when they get the penalty guaranteed note in advance.
Thereupon officials from the center complained and said "It is Korea they illegally stayed. Why Uzebekistan government asks such a big penalty?".
Deputy director Bradimir responded that it is their own business and Korean NGO have no right to intervene and stay out of their workers.
As facing with the situation, Migrant workers association protested to Uzebekistan Embassy and said "Our government has set voluntary reporting period from March 25 to May 25, 2002 in order that any migrant workers expired validate staying period without penalty. But what you are recently doing to Uzebekistani workers is rather brought they stay. " Deputy director Choi replied "We will continue execution. Without official response from Uzebekistani government, we can not stop."
Migrant worker's supporting group have strongly protested Uzebekistani government that they are ignoring their national's human rights and even gain profit from them. And same time, insisted Korean government to action to those foreign embassies against Korean law.

Statement of Mama Dalif

I am Mama Dalif Nojim. I came to Korea on March 23, 2000 as a trainee to earn money. I am still working in Korea. I worked as a trainee for 3 months and left the working place. When I left the company I couldn't get my passport. Because I thought that the immigrant office holds my passport, I went to Seoul immigrant office. But from them, I heard Uzebekistani Embassy has taken it.
I went with my friends to get the Embassy but Choi asked us $1000 for each to get our passport. Without $1000, we had to return to Changwon. It has been 11 months since I lived in Korea but without $2000 I can not get my passport back. (April 21, 2002.)

Statement of Ahunof Nemat

I am Ahunof Nemat and came to Korea in Feb. 1997 to work as a trainee. I am not able to go home with no passport. It is at Uzekistan Embassy. I went to Embassy several time because of my passport. I told them about my situation over and over but still Bladmir Choi told me to pay. I really want to go home as soon as I get my passport. My parents are passed away. (April 27, 2002)
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