All over the world, endless cycles of heat waves, heavy rain, floods, and droughts, known as "swing" climate, are occurring. War continues, and trade crises between countries deepen. Extreme competition and aging are accelerating "population extinction". In the spectrum of various disasters, am I really safe? Where will my refuge be?
With unanswered questions in my heart, I met Leeseong Ah, the Secretary-General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM). This meeting stems from the judgment that a world where "migration is default" has already arrived due to endless wars, climate, and unemployment.
Thinking back, until the conditions of settlement called 'farmland and housing' emerged, human history was largely a history of migration. Humanity moved long distances to places with fruits, fish, and pastures as the seasons changed.
Since the borders were created, 80% of migration has belonged to the vulnerable. Crossing continents and seas... Europeans who came to America, Africans who came to Europe, Koreans who went to Russia, and Jews scattered around the world... The only solution to cope with disasters was to leave. The energy of minorities, uprooted from their "homes" and infiltrated into various continents, kept history moving forward and achieving balance.
The history of individuals is no different. I too, accompanied my parents who frequently packed their bags to move, roamed the country as a transfer student during my childhood, experiencing the sadness of rejection and the joy of acceptance, and building unique experiences and survival skills. In this time of heightened global instability, if the "insurance of hospitality" operates in emergencies, could "migration" take root as a solution for life?
According to a recent report from the World Bank, over the next 30 years, climate change, including rising sea levels and desertification, could displace as many as 200 million climate migrants. As migration issues become more diverse and acute, the status of IOM as a humanitarian coordinator is growing.
"Opportunities arise only by leaving. Ultimately, the 'hospitality system' benefits humanity and me," said Leeseong Ah, the Secretary-General of IOM.
The IOM, a UN-affiliated organization, currently operates in 175 member countries and 171 national offices, with Leeseong Ah serving as the highest-ranking Korean official in the organization. Recognized for her expertise through her work at the World Economic Forum and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, she was appointed Secretary-General at this crucial time. An interview was arranged while she was briefly visiting Korea, her first official schedule being a concert stage at YG Entertainment.
-What is the connection between K-pop concerts and refugees?
"When we hold large-scale concerts, the carbon emissions are tremendous. We exchange those carbon credits for renewable energy we possess. When refugees arise, we build temporary shelters for disaster victims and schools while generating solar energy. We exchange that renewable energy for YG Entertainment's carbon credits."
-I understand there are many refugees due to climate and civil wars these days.
"It's not necessarily the case. Many people move seeking economic opportunities. Due to an aging population, young working-age individuals are entering regions where opportunities have arisen. Data shows that migration continues to increase."
-They must have left under desperate circumstances, so what are you doing for them?
"We provide emergency support necessary for survival on humanitarian grounds. For example, we quickly supply 20 liters of water per person per day, a minimum living space of 3.5 square meters, and one toilet for every 20 people. Such systems were promptly deployed during the earthquake in Myanmar and the war in Ukraine. Since lives and safety are at stake, we collaborate with other organizations to distribute food and hygiene products.
When migration extends over a long term, vocational training and jobs become essential. It's also important to help integrate them well into the local community. Recently, we have been focusing on creating 'regular migration pathways' centered around jobs."
Data indicates that large-scale migrations are increasing as people leave in search of jobs. Just like how the Irish and Italians who were marginalized during the Industrial Revolution crossed the Atlantic by steamship to find opportunities in the Americas. Similarly, South Korean miners and nurses settled in Germany.
-Are there specific professions that are particularly requested for migration?
"Recently, in countries like Belgium and Luxembourg, there was a shortage of nurses, so we trained and dispatched individuals from Kenya and some African countries. We ask the Australian and Canadian Chambers of Commerce what type of workforce they need. If they say they need nursing staff or seamstresses, we provide such training to gradually create migration pathways. The Pacific Islands are climate disaster areas, so we need to prepare for migration early on."
In any case, labor migration does not necessarily mean settling down in that country. One can leave their family in their home country and come back as needed during specific seasons. For instance, if a lot of workers are needed during grape picking season, one would travel to Italy just at that time and then return home."
-Have seasonal workers been managed and protected under the international organization level?
"Yes. Those who came through our system want to return next year. Data shows that both sending and receiving countries benefit immensely. They earn far more compared to what they would earn at home for a certain period, which greatly aids the families back home."
-Recently, Korea attempted a pilot project for Filipino domestic workers but it seems it was put on hold due to significant issues like the wage expectancy gap between demanders and suppliers. Unfortunately, last summer, a foreign youth in their 20s died from heat-related illness at a construction site, and there was also an incident where a migrant worker was mocked while being taped to a forklift.
"It's a regrettable situation. Now Korea is no longer a 'receiving country' but a 'donor country.' We are also being asked to fulfill the role of fair management and supervision. Currently, the IOM representative office in Korea is tracking human trafficking and violations of the rights of migrant workers both domestically and internationally, especially at difficult workplaces like seaweed farms and salt farms."
Currently, the chair of the IOM council is the Korean government. At a crucial time, the ambassador in Geneva is serving as the chair of IOM. The organization's role in the international community has significantly increased, with its size doubling within five years."
-Every beneficial endeavor costs money. The Trump administration dramatically cut the budgets of international organizations that support the vulnerable, including the World Bank and AID. Is the financial situation okay?
"Last year's budget was about 5 trillion won, but now it's just over 3 trillion won. Various humanitarian projects have been dwindling since the Trump administration. In fact, the United States has been responsible for about 40% of humanitarian aid, which, when you think about it, is an unbalanced situation. We are looking for various solutions."
-I'm curious. What is the extent of migration? Is domestic movement considered migration?
"Moving belongings in a truck or crossing a border, all of it is migration."
-I was recently shocked after watching the true story film 'The Swimmers' about refugees. It's the story of swimmer sisters who fled war-torn Syria and crossed over to Germany. The depiction of them leaving in a rubber boat with a broken engine into the open sea, arriving at a land where life jackets and shoes are piled up like mountains, and finally representing the refugee team at the Rio Olympics with the help of a swim coach at a German refugee center has left a lasting impression on me about how powerful it is to welcome someone and provide them with an opportunity.
"I've heard a lot about that movie. There can be various interests concerning refugees. But what to remember is, migration will never cease as long as the world exists, whether one rejects or ignores it. Many Somalis fled the civil war to Libya, and though they were sent back, young people said, 'We will come back in a few months.' Why? Because they can't live in their hometown anyway. They simply have to keep trying for their lives."
Migration from conflict zones like South Sudan, Gaza, Chad, and Ukraine follows the same context. Even if they are sent back, there are no means of survival, so they return again. If such repetition is likely, it is better to safely accept them in a receiving country. Thus, the IOM often serves as an intermediary to broker agreements between both nations."
-The refugee issue is becoming more complicated as it is entangled with the sentiments of the native population.
"The countries of departure, arrival, and transit are all interconnected. The fact that IOM was incorporated into the UN is for this reason. Established as an intergovernmental organization in 1951 and incorporated into the UN in 2016, in the 'New York Declaration' it announced, the international community agreed to protect and be responsible for refugees and migrants without discrimination. It promised to activate a global compact for safe, orderly, and regular migration."
-From employment to war... You are undertaking the intense testing of livelihood and survival, hatred, and coexistence. Moreover, I understand the IOM Secretary-General is currently the highest-ranking Korean official working at the UN.
"That's correct (laughs). I oversee the operation of the organization in collaboration with Secretary-General Amy Pope from the U.S. I joined the organization after being at the International Union for Conservation of Nature until August last year, and the leaders here hinted to me that whenever I meet someone for the first time, I should always ask, 'How did you come to IOM?' They said I would encounter stories beyond imagination, almost like a movie."
-Can you give an example?
"Recently, I met an older gentleman in Georgia who had a remarkable background. He was a doctor of nuclear physics in the former Soviet Union who eventually escaped and became a migrant. Dramatically, he found his way to IOM and now plays a key role as the supply chain director. An Egyptian youth wanted to make a meaningful impact after selling radios post-graduation and volunteered to assist migrants. Even while returning to everyday life, he couldn't forget that powerful experience and came back again. There's also an architect who supported the construction of migrant shelters during a summer vacation and later applied to IOM, becoming a director in South America."
-What compels someone to voluntarily return to difficult places?
"The world is not a fair place. People, who through no fault of their own, lose everything simply because they were born there or due to conflicts erupting, children who are unable to access healthcare, fathers who have endured terrifying experiences yet manage to care for their children, evoke a completely different layer of emotion in me.
When even a little of the migrants' lives improve, the intense joy and pride that arise make it hard to leave the field."
-The fulfillment one feels when contributing to someone's life is incomparable. Did you feel the same?
"Recently, I had a profound experience. At IOM, I support specific health checks needed for migration, and one student I encountered at a screening center in Amman, Jordan, told me it had been her dream to study abroad, and she would be able to go to Canada thanks to the help of the IOM program. She felt that if she seized a good opportunity there, she could help her struggling parents back home. She expressed her gratitude for receiving that opportunity.
A middle-aged woman who traveled from Sudan to Cairo, Egypt, with only her disabled daughter, teared up. She did not let go of my hand, calling me her savior, who treated her daughter. Even though we couldn't communicate verbally, we understood each other perfectly. She strives to survive in horrid circumstances. So many people need to migrate, and when they find hope, I gain the strength to live on as well."
-As the tariff wars and recession drag on, have attitudes toward migrants changed in various countries?
"Still, for now, Europe (especially Germany) is the most mature. Recently, the attitude in the United States has changed significantly, and Canada is also taking a practical turn. As the domestic population ages and the working population shrinks, it is entering the realm of sourcing the labor force."
-According to the World Bank's report, if we do not respond immediately to climate change, it's predicted that 200 million climate migrants will emerge... In a situation where heavy rain, heat waves, droughts, and floods are alternating and whipping the world, where is the most dangerous place right now?
"The Asia-Pacific region is the most vulnerable to the climate crisis. Cyclones are moving northward more frequently, leading to continuous floods and landslides. In 2022, 32.6 million people worldwide were displaced by natural disasters, with 70% of those cases occurring in Asia.
Places like the Philippines and Bangladesh, directly facing rising sea levels, are experiencing immediate hardships. I am aware that regions in the Horn of Africa and parts of the Middle East are also unable to grow crops due to wildfires and heat waves, making migration unavoidable."
-When was your most difficult period while working?
"It's when I can't do anything to help. For instance, recently, funding from the U.S. was cut off, and supplies of water, medical supplies, and vaccines to the shelters we operate in Afghanistan ran out. Not being able to provide supplies directly affects their survival. Moreover, many IOM employees are themselves migrants. When their employment contracts are terminated, they cannot remain in that country and must return to a perilous home country. I can estimate how tough that must be... Yet not being able to resolve it leaves me with a sense of despair. I try to buy them six more months to find sponsorship for another job, but it's heartbreaking to realize it's not completely sustainable."
-Was it inevitable for you to come to IOM in your career?
"It felt like a natural progression. At first, I aimed to tackle poverty issues in the Third World through trade and financial policies. I worked on microfinance that gained fame for its implementation in Bangladesh. When seed funding is provided, even the poorest can rise. Dr. Yunus, who first conceptualized this type of lending, received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for his work with Grameen Bank.
If ordinary people can access financial systems and obtain small loans, they can become self-sufficient; however, the problem lies in access to banks. It was common for people to hide cash under mattresses and have it stolen. Based on this, I created an organization called AFI (Alliance for Financial Inclusion) to promote mobile money systems. It's fascinating that even in areas without access to banks, everyone seems to own a mobile phone.
After AFI gained significant traction, I was called to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. They asked me to lead the digital economy initiatives for developing countries. Then my focus shifted to climate change and biodiversity, leading to my move to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. At that point, I felt a strong desire to impact people meaningfully. Coincidentally, as Korea became the chair of the council, I gratefully assumed this role.
-Did your parents want you to pursue this path?
"My father was an ordinary office worker, but he often said, 'A well-doer cannot be beaten by a hard worker, and a hard worker will not beat someone who loves what they do.' Experiencing that firsthand teaches you that if you love what you do, you will seek it out without needing to be told.
My first job was at LG Card, where I worked in public relations while saving money for further studies to move on to bigger opportunities. At 25, I used that money to enroll in a graduate school that teaches management of international organizations called the International Institute of Geneva. From there, I started seeking internships. Everything I did was something I loved."
-What was your experience at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation like?
"My mobile money network enrolled 90 central banks, and the Gates Foundation approached me with a recruitment offer. They invited me to 'join us and expand even further.' I regularly held strategic meetings with Bill Gates, and there was so much to learn from his large and meticulous vision."
-Is such a grand vision innate?
"Well, my household consisted of five siblings, and it was always noisy, filled with good memories. Due to my father's job, I spent my childhood in India and Sudan. Koreans lived in apartments, while locals lived in mud houses built on barren land. It was common for them to get wet in the rain and face collapses. Even as a child, I was puzzled about how to solve that.
I don't think I was born with a naturally grand vision; rather, I went through a severe adolescence where I pondered when I was truly happy. The key realization was that 'I am happiest when I help others.'"
-Did you consider the UN as your final destination?
"No. However, as I worked more, a yearning to assist on a larger scale grew. To do that, I ultimately had to engage systems and policies and foster cooperation among various organizations and governments. My path converges toward the UN."
-What does work mean to you?
"Doing what I can for others. That brings me joy, provides meaning to my life, and strengthens my journey toward my goals."
-Reflecting on your work, what have you found to be more important than money?
"Hope. For ordinary people as well as refugees, hope is what makes life sustainable. Everyone has moments when they feel useless or worthless. Refugees, who are uncertain about the future, feel this more acutely. Therefore, it is essential to plant seeds of hope, no matter what.
I have also experienced something similar. In 2016, when I was diagnosed with breast cancer, everything seemed dark. At that time, my first doctor only informed me about what treatment I was undergoing and would say nothing more. 'You don't need to know. If it recurs, there's nothing we can do.' It was so disheartening that I didn't want to talk anymore.
Upon meeting another experienced doctor, I regained my life. He used the term 'cure' instead of 'treatment.' After sufficiently explaining the medical risks, he concluded with words that it was not treatment but a cure."
-Is such a difference substantial?
"It is immense. While the situation remains unchanged, a single word brings the gift of hope. 'If I work hard, I will truly be cured!' This is what I aimed to offer as hope to migrants. It's not just a vague 'it'll be okay,' but providing a treatment plan with steps like, 'Now you can do this, then you can do that...' Leading them to a clearer path and greater livability. By learning this skill, they can find a job, feel welcomed, contribute to society, and become a part of it... That gradual emergence into life is what it is."
-Being surrounded by the right people is incredibly important!
"Perhaps that's everything. After undergoing major surgery in the past, I was in a coma for about 14 hours. I woke up to find my body filled with tubes and my blood dried up. I didn't remember anything and thought I was an experimental subject. But then, as I turned my eyes, I saw my husband. I didn't know who he was but felt he truly loved me. Seeing him gave me reassurance that I would be okay.
Then, just like a computer booting up, my memory slowly returned. It was strange that people's faces began to come to mind first. My daughter, parents, teachers... their faces unfolded like a slideshow. Those whom I loved, those whom I had helped, the faces of those people are my life. That memory feels so vivid that I think it deepens my immersion in IOM."
-Thinking back, I too have had to move inevitably in my life. Leaving behind a broken foundation, dreaming each time for a different tomorrow in a new place. I haven't crossed borders, but as a transfer student in my youth and as an international student in adulthood, every time I crossed the boundaries of regions, the air changed and so did the dialects and cultures. I had to expend immense energy to be accepted. Thus, seeing the stacked life jackets and shoes of those who crossed the sea resonates deeply. For those who walked this path wearing those life jackets and shoes, I wonder, 'Were they welcomed? Who helped them?'... How do we understand this cycling track of migration?
"Opportunities arise only by leaving. Everything is about finding new ways to live. Ultimately, the 'hospitality system' benefits humanity and me. As conflicts and disasters destroy lives, instability increases, and terrorism rises. When thinking only of myself, I might wonder, 'Why should I help?' But for migration governance to proceed steadily and peacefully, it is crucial for me as well to navigate safely and dynamically through life."
-Finally, as someone who has lived and worked on a broad perspective in an international organization, do you have any advice for Koreans?
"Firstly, the climate crisis and migration are not distant futures but our reality now. Right now, we are working with Microsoft to predict climate crisis spots using AI to connect anticipated regions for migration and labor demand. Currently, every region is within the influence of disasters. This implies that there is no completely safe person. Therefore, view the world with the assumption that at any moment, I too could need to leave my place of life.
Additionally, if there are young individuals like me who wish to solve international issues with a broad perspective, I encourage them to confidently take strides forward. When I expressed my desire to work in international organizations, everyone said it's impossible without knowing someone there. But I applied for the UN internship in the Asia-Pacific region just by checking the website and got in. By diligently working at my task and achieving results, a global network naturally formed. People and work eventually connect, meeting one another. Continuously learn and attempt with a heart of tolerance and humility."