{"id":2204998,"date":"2024-05-06T18:21:45","date_gmt":"2024-05-06T09:21:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/?p=2204998"},"modified":"2024-05-07T16:35:12","modified_gmt":"2024-05-07T07:35:12","slug":"controversial-deportation-of-foreign-students-highlights-roks-immigration-woes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2024\/05\/controversial-deportation-of-foreign-students-highlights-roks-immigration-woes\/","title":{"rendered":"Controversial deportation of foreign students highlights ROK\u2019s immigration woes"},"content":{"rendered":"
The <\/span>deportation<\/span><\/a> of 22 Uzbek students by Hanshin University has reverberated through South Korean higher education in recent months, exposing flaws in the country\u2019s management of international students and threatening the country\u2019s ability to attract and retain foreign talent.<\/span><\/p>\n Last November, the university located in Osan, south of Seoul, told the students private security would escort them to an immigration office under the pretext of receiving their alien registration cards. However, the security guards actually took them directly to Incheon International Airport to board a pre-booked flight to Uzbekistan.<\/span><\/p>\n Hanshin University initially claimed it expelled the students for failing to submit immigration documents, leaving their dormitory without permission and violating the university\u2019s values.<\/span><\/p>\n However, four days after the incident, the university\u2019s president <\/span>issued an apology<\/span><\/a>, acknowledging errors in the deportation process and promising preventive measures. He attributed the students’ removal to immigration compliance issues while promising to offer them an opportunity to return.<\/span><\/p>\n In particular, the university reportedly informed the students that they only needed to maintain a minimum bank balance of <\/span>$7,300 (10 million won)<\/span><\/a> for one day to receive a visa, rather than for at least three months as required by the Ministry of Justice.<\/span><\/p>\n This incorrect advice led the students to withdraw their money shortly after depositing it, effectively disqualifying them from receiving their visas. Allegedly worried about punitive measures, such as reductions in the university\u2019s foreign student quota, Hanshin University tricked the students into boarding a bus that took them directly to the airport.<\/span><\/p>\n Recent reports<\/span><\/a> also allege that a Korea Immigration Service official improperly granted visas to these students in exchange for favors and a potential job at Hanshin University. The official now faces accusations of corruption and abuse of power, while officials at the university who were involved in the deportation are <\/span>reportedly<\/span><\/a> facing charges such as confinement and extraterritorial abduction, according to the police.<\/span><\/p>\n South Korea has sought to increase international student enrollment over the past decade to counter demographic changes and support universities outside Seoul. Initiatives like the \u201c<\/span>Study Korea 300K Project<\/span><\/a>\u201d aim to boost international student numbers and offset declining domestic enrollment.<\/span><\/p>\n However, the Hanshin University deportations highlight the urgent need for clear regulations and better oversight to prevent abuse of power and ensure consistent management \u2014 less an isolated incident than a symptom of broader systemic challenges.<\/span><\/p>\n