NHRCK, Revision of Welfare Benefits to Include Foreign Brides
Sun Hee January 17, 2013According to research conducted by National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK), statistics indicate that 30% of refugees experienced economic difficulty, and 18% of foreign brides who are married to Korean men suffer from a lack of living expenses. NHRCK requested the Ministry of Health and Welfare to include non-Korean brides without kids and foreigners living in Korea for humanitarian purposes to be included in the nations welfare policy. The NHRCK stated “Korea is rapidly becoming a multicultural society, but foreigners residing for humanitarian purposes and multicultural families with no kids are not eligible for welfare benefits.”
According to the refugees’ law, ‘humanitarian purpose residents’ and foreign brides who are divorced from Korean men were kept out from the benefits. However, the NHRCK argued that these groups should be included in the revised law. Under Korean law, people classified as refugees can be provided with emergency aid welfare benefits.
