[Column] Tu Anh deserved higher than to die in worry of immigration raid

By Jang Younger-ook, analysis fellow on the Korea Institute for Worldwide Financial Coverage

Tu Anh, a 25-year-old from Vietnam, died at her office in Daegu on the night of Oct. 28, a mere three days earlier than the leaders of the world gathered in Gyeongju for the APEC summit. A Keimyung College graduate who majored in worldwide commerce, Tu Anh had needed to assist facilitate commerce between South Korea and Vietnam. She efficiently managed to acquire a job-seeking visa after graduating, which allowed her to reside longer in Korea, however discovering work in her area proved troublesome.
 
Ultimately, she began working at a producing plant to make ends meet, a job that she was not legally allowed to have on her explicit visa. Whereas working with out correct residency standing is certainly unlawful, it’s exhausting to carry it towards Tu Anh for deciding to take the job. An employer was prepared to rent her, and the native economic system and labor market are structured in a method that makes it inconceivable to perform with out migrant staff.
 
Two weeks after Tu Anh started her job on the plant, the manufacturing facility was topic to a authorities immigration sweep. The Ministry of Justice had, for the previous month, been conducting widespread crackdowns on undocumented residents. The raids had been characterised as focusing on aliens who had been “infringing on the job alternatives of Koreans” and “threatening their security” as a part of an effort to “assist the profitable internet hosting of the APEC summit.” In an try to evade immigration enforcement, Tu Anh hid behind an air-con unit on the third story of the constructing. Sadly, that was the place she fell to her loss of life.
 
Was Tu Anh actually “infringing on the job alternatives of Koreans” and “threatening their security”? To reply these questions, we’d like to check out the sorts of job alternatives that exist in Korea. 

A September survey performed by the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Enterprise (KBIZ) confirmed that 90% of home corporations that employed foreigners did so as a result of it was troublesome to rent Koreans. Companies that employed undocumented migrants had been doubtless in a scenario the place they struggled to rent foreigners with acceptable visas, not to mention Korean staff. 

That provides the misinform the argument that hiring undocumented migrants infringes on job alternatives for Koreans. The truth is, it’s typically reported that when the native economic system is revitalized by means of overseas employment, the standard of jobs for home staff additionally improves.
 
What in regards to the declare that the employees “threaten” the security of Koreans? A public official in Ulsan went as far as to assert that “the inflow of migrant staff is inflicting consternation amongst Koreans” in an official setting, reflecting a diffuse worry of overseas crime. In actuality, foreigners commit crimes at decrease charges than Korean nationals, with the variety of crimes per 1,000 overseas residents at 13, barely half that of Koreans (25). Even after we look completely at severe crimes, foreigners account for 0.30 instances per 1,000 folks, in contrast with 0.45 for Koreans.
 
If something, foreigners are those who’re extra susceptible to threats to their security. A Statistics Korea survey from 2024 discovered that 27% of overseas residents within the nation reported experiencing discrimination due to language or pores and skin coloration. The housing circumstances and dealing environments for overseas nationals are additionally wanting in comparison with these of their Korean counterparts. 
 
Even official statistics, which frequently underrepresent actuality, present that the likelihood of experiencing wage theft and dying in industrial accidents is greater than twice as excessive for foreigners as for Korean nationals. After they exceed the strictly outlined length of keep or stray from the workplaces or industries that they’re permitted to work at, they’re instantly labeled as “unlawful aliens” or “unlawful staff.” Such labels topic them to crackdowns, detention, deportation and even loss of life.
 
Managing immigrant residency is a posh difficulty. As famous above, we must always not place the blame on the person for being undocumented. Corporations are anxious to satisfy market demand by hiring staff accordingly, however the present immigration system rigidly dictates which and what number of staff can enter which sectors within the identify of “defending Koreans,” failing to satisfy employers’ wants.
 
Within the phrases of 1 sensible observer, we’re witnessing a scenario the place individuals are “jaywalking as a result of there aren’t any crosswalks.” On one facet of the street, we’ve migrants who want to cross. However, we see companies that need these migrants to return over and work for them. If there should not sufficient lawful methods of crossing or the official crossroad is simply too far-off, we’ll see an increase in jaywalkers. Whereas we must always not utterly condone jaywalking, persevering with to depend on heavy-handed crackdowns whereas experiencing a scarcity of immigration enforcement personnel is way from sustainable.
 
The elemental resolution to lowering undocumented migration lies in minimizing the conflict between the wants of the labor market and the rigidity of the immigration system. For instance, if a job-seeking visa had allowed employment in manufacturing, Tu Anh wouldn’t have felt the necessity to flee to keep away from the immigration raid. If we make it simpler for foreigners assembly particular circumstances to increase or change their visas and develop the scope of actions permitted below them, it’ll cut back undocumented migration.
 
Korea’s present coverage is already shifting in that path, however it stays caught in previous patterns as most changes are minor and incremental. It’s now time for us to overtake our immigration coverage.
 
As for Tu Anh, I pray that she could also be free from worry and struggling and relaxation in peace. It’s the obligation of these nonetheless right here to make sure such mindless deaths by no means occur once more by developing with institutional and coverage options.

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