The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) said on the 20th that it conveyed its view to the Minister of the Ministry of Justice that care is needed to prevent so-called "rabbit-herding style crackdowns" when cracking down on undocumented foreign residents.
Earlier, an immigration office launched a crackdown on undocumented foreign residents targeting restaurants in Korea. A petition claimed that in the process, officials did not explain related documents or their identities to the restaurant owner and did not read the Miranda rights when taking foreign nationals into custody.
The petition also said that a foreign national scheduled to depart in three days was forcibly confined in a detention center, and that during the crackdown an officer punched a lawfully staying foreign national on the right cheek and put the person in handcuffs.
The immigration office told the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) that it had explained the crackdown to the restaurant owner and had informed the foreign nationals of their Miranda rights.
The immigration office also said, "The foreign national who claimed to have filed a prior report for voluntary departure did not present supporting documents," adding, "In consideration of the prior report, we lifted detention after an immigration offender review as a voluntary departee so the person could depart for the home country."
Regarding the lawfully staying foreign national who claimed to have been assaulted, the immigration office said, "While cracking down on an undocumented foreign national, the person approached holding a beer bottle in one hand, blocked us, and picked a fight," adding, "Even after we identified ourselves as members of the task force, the person grabbed our clothes and blocked our path, obstructing official duties, so we secured custody and then sent the person home after confirming identity."
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Second Committee for Remedies for Infringements dismissed the case, citing, among other reasons, the lack of objective evidence to substantiate the petition.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), however, expressed to the Minister of the Ministry of Justice the view that, because physical resistance and accidental clashes are highly likely during immigration authorities' crackdowns on undocumented foreign residents, efforts should be made to prevent accidents.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) also said that, because necklace-style IDs worn by crackdown officials can be yanked by counterparts or snagged on surroundings and undermine safety, badges indicating authority should be produced and distributed in other forms and materials.