South Korea has welcomed the arrival of Afghans who supported its embassy and organizations by designating them as “persons of special merit” instead of refugees.
A total of 378 Afghans arrived at Incheon International Airport outside Seoul on Thursday as part of the evacuation mission, codenamed “Operation Miracle.”
Among the evacuees are Afghan medical professionals, vocational trainers, IT experts and interpreters who supported South Korean diplomats, hospitals and a job training center run by the Korea International Cooperation Agency before the Taliban took control of the country earlier this month. They were evacuated with their families.
The Korean government is seeking to amend its immigration laws to grant the Afghans long-term residency as foreigners who provided special services to South Korea. Initially, they will be granted short-term visas, which will be upgraded later, allowing them to find employment.
“Now it’s time for us to return the favor,” Justice Minister Park Beom-kye told reporters at Incheon airport, referring to the fact many Koreans received international aid after fleeing during the 1950-53 Korean War.
“Despite the fact that we’re physically apart in a distant country, they were practically our neighbors,” the minister said. “How could we possibly turn a blind eye to them when their lives are at risk just because they worked with us?”
Choi Young-sam, spokesman for the Foreign Ministry, said in a briefing on Thursday that “South Korea is fulfilling its moral obligation as a responsible nation that doesn’t forget its friends and turn away from the difficulties of the neighbor.”
He added it was the first operation of its kind for South Korea. “This is the first example in the history of Korean diplomacy where we have evacuated foreign citizens by investing our manpower and assets on humanitarian grounds,” Choi said.
Another flight is due to bring 13 others who on Thursday could not board the military aircraft that transported the group to Korea from Islamabad, Pakistan, after their evacuation from Kabul.
South Korea’s warm reception for these Afghans comes despite the East Asian nation generally not being open to accepting refugees. In 2020, only 69 of 6,684 asylum seekers were granted refugee status in South Korea, according to Justice Ministry data.
Security experts believe Seoul’s acceptance of Afghan evacuees will be politically intended to show South Korea is in lockstep with the US, its staunchest ally that supported it during the Korean War.
After the US started its war on terror on Afghan soil in 2001, South Korea conducted various military and relief operations, including Provincial Reconstruction Team activities from 2010 to 2014, offering medical services, aid for agricultural development, and vocational and police training.
“The success of the Operation Miracle was possible thanks to full cooperation from our US ally,” the Korean Defense Ministry said in a statement. “We will continue cooperation for the Afghans’ stable resettlement in the country, providing our logistics resources or medical support if necessary.”