한국 난민 포럼 2025, 주요 현안에 대해 ‘전사회적 접근’을 촉구하다 (베레켓)

Korea Refugee Forum 2025 calls for a Whole-of-Society Approach on key issues (Bereket)

The first Korea Refugee Forum, with a total of 167 participants from 54 different organizations, was successfully held on the 9th December 2025, at the Seoul National University of Education, emphasizing a Whole-of-Society Approach to secure access to protection in asylum systems, legal assistance, and human Rights. selected organizations shared diverse perspectives on refugee protection and social integration in Korea. Including Hanokers’ core team members, Conan and Bereket, the forum was attended by many refugees and advocates, who represent different origins and cultural backgrounds, as well as refugee-led organizations, local governments, the National Human Rights Commission of Korea, UNHCR Korea, civil society, faith-based organizations, academia, educational institutions, and the private sector.

During thematic sessions, participants discussed key challenges to refugee protection in Korea, focusing on securing refugees & asylum seekers' protection access through legal means, socio-economic integration, and facilitating self- reliance programs, achieving health and well-being for all refugees, and securing sustainable futures through education.

It was concluded with a call encouraging participation from government institutions, civil society, refugee-led initiatives, religious communities, academic experts, the media, and refugees themselves to work together.

In preparation for the forum, organizers appointed a Refugee Reference Group (RRG) of ten members with refugee backgrounds from nine different countries. The group was formed to ensure that refugee voices are meaningfully reflected in policy discussions, support programs, and public discourse in South Korea.

Hanokers and Refugee Reference Group members' reflections on the forum

Hanokers board director Ngalula Wangala Dorcas of the DR Congo, and one of the storytellers, Rezayi Qudratulla of Afghanistan, who are serving in the Refugee Reference Group, have shared their thoughts with our news brief about their participation and key messages in the forum.

Dorcas joined the group in November, just a short time before the forum. Reflecting on her experience, she first spoke honestly about the reality of being a refugee. “Being a refugee is a big challenge. It is a harsh reality we face daily. These challenges are lived experiences that shape everyday life, often in silence. Through collective effort, refugees came together to unite their voices and stand not only for themselves, but for those who remain unheard. By joining the group, as it carried deep meaning and significance, we have united our forces to make our voices heard and become the voice of the voiceless,” she explains.

During the forum, she shared a powerful message saying that this gathering was only the beginning. “First, we have sown a seed. Second, we will continue to collaborate with all people and all organizations. The forum was not an end, but a starting point—a foundation for future action and cooperation.”

As a member of the Refugee Reference Group (RRF), Dorcas sees the first forum as a seed planted with intention and hope. From this seed, she believes, meaningful and just refugee policies can grow. Through continued collaboration, solidarity, and persistence, the voices raised at the forum can help shape a more inclusive and humane future.

During a thematic session, Rezayi Qudratulla was given the opportunity to speak about migrant health. His remarks were structured around three main sections. At the beginning, he addressed the health-related problems migrants face in hospitals, including negligence and inappropriate treatment by some doctors and healthcare staff, which at times occurs simply because the patients are foreigners. This situation causes many migrants to feel unsafe and to lose trust in the healthcare system.

Second, he then talked about the role and importance of Korean social organizations in providing health-related counseling services, particularly psychological counseling for refugees and migrants. Many suffer from severe stress, mental pressure, and anxiety resulting from living conditions, unfamiliar environments, and even uncertain futures in this country. Therefore, there is a serious need for psychological counseling and supportive services for migrants.

In the final part, he raised the issue of health insurance for migrants. Specifically, migrants who hold a G-1 visa are, in many cases, unable to apply for health insurance. This problem becomes even more complicated when the individual is a pregnant woman. Under such circumstances, if the government and insurance companies do not provide the necessary cooperation, getting through this difficult period becomes almost impossible and extremely challenging for the individual.

Rezayi hopes that such challenges will be well addressed if all stakeholders work together to ensure that refugees' health also matters.

2025년 12월 9일, 서울교육대학교에서 제1회 한국 난민 포럼이 성공적으로 개최되었습니다. 이번 포럼에는 총 54개 기관에서 167명이 참여했으며, 난민 보호, 법률 지원, 인권 접근성을 강화하기 위한 ‘전사회적 접근(Whole-of-Society Approach)’의 중요성을 강조했습니다. 선정된 여러 기관들은 한국 사회에서의 난민 보호와 사회통합에 대해 다양한 관점을 공유했습니다.

포럼에는 한옥커즈 핵심 멤버인 코난과 베레켓을 비롯해, 다양한 출신과 문화적 배경을 지닌 난민과 활동가들이 참석했습니다. 또한 난민주도조직, 지방정부, 국가인권위원회, 유엔난민기구 한국대표부, 시민사회단체, 종교 기반 단체, 학계, 교육기관, 민간 부문 등 폭넓은 주체들이 함께했습니다.