African asylum-seeking couple finally leaves Incheon Airport after five months in legal limbo

A Central African couple, identified by their pseudonym Mboko, finally breathed the air of freedom on Monday as they walked out of Incheon International Airport — five months after touching down in January, only to spend months confined to the airport because the Korean government denied their refugee status.

“It is only my first day here, but I can see that Korea is a good country,” Mboko said when they met the JoongAng Ilbo reporter near the airport.

The couple formally entered Korea through Terminal 2 of Incheon International Airport after a local court ruled in their favor, clearing the way for their refugee claims to be reviewed. The couple will be able to work and settle in Korea if they are recognized as refugees through the asylum review process.

Mboko said they worked as election observers in their home country and witnessed what they described as election fraud — a scene in which large numbers of ballots cast for an opposition candidate were invalidated. Mboko allegedly joined anti-government demonstrations, which were followed by a violent military crackdown and the abduction of protesters. Mboko claimed they were also beaten and ultimately fled the country after fearing for their safety.

But upon arrival in January, the couple was denied access to the refugee screening process after immigration authorities at Incheon International Airport determined that the basis for their asylum claim was “unclear.” The decision left them stranded in the airport's transit-zone departure waiting area.

Seeking refuge status at the airport?

Under the Refugee Act, asylum seekers must first be referred to the refugee screening process before their complaints can be formally reviewed. Those granted "asylum applicant" status are allowed to enter the country and receive humanitarian assistance. Otherwise, their entry into the country is denied, and some end up becoming what are known as "airport refugees."

When the JoongAng Ilbo visited the waiting area inside the airport in coordination with airport officials on May 7, Mboko had effectively settled into life there.

They spent much of their day wandering the outdoor garden near Gate 283, the only place in the airport where he could get fresh air. They survived on in-flight meals given on humanitarian grounds in the airport waiting area.

On May 29, the situation changed as a court ruled in favor of the couple in a lawsuit seeking to overturn the immigration office's decision not to refer their asylum application for review. The ruling opened the door for a full refugee screening.

The court acknowledged that the couple's core account remained credible "despite inconsistencies in their testimony.”

"The plaintiffs have consistently stated that they were subjected to surveillance and wiretapping after opposing constitutional amendments designed to enable the president to remain in power indefinitely,” the court said. “They continuously said that they would face the risk of persecution, including murder, if returned.”

The judges also noted that the plaintiffs had operated a school in their home country and possessed a substantial economic foundation, all of which suggested that their asylum claim was "not motivated by economic hardship."

Empty pockets but peaceful minds

When the JoongAng Ilbo met the couple near the airport on Monday, they were still wearing the heavy winter coats they had arrived in back in January, despite the early summer weather.

The couple had originally planned to remain in Korea for two weeks after arrival to file their refugee application and complete related procedures.

After the entry denial, they lost about 860,000 won ($560) that they had prepaid for a hotel. Months of being stranded inside the airport drained the rest of their savings. They were left with just 70,000 won.

With support from refugee advocacy groups, the couple moved into a small business hotel near the airport. Using the little money they had left, the couple bought Buldak Ramen (spicy instant noodles) and gimbap (seaweed rice roll) for their first meal outside the airport.

"The situation in my country is very unstable and volatile,” said Mboko. "Every avenue for freedom of expression and for views that differ from those of the people in power has been completely silenced and shut down.”

Mboko noted that they did not have time to organize their finances because they had to leave their home country in a hurry to save their lives.

“After setting foot in Korea, I realized that it is a wonderful country,” Mboko said. “The city is very clean. What impressed me was the warm welcome and kindness of the driver who took us from the airport to the hotel. Even at the airport, the immigration officers were very welcoming. I can see that Korea is a good country, a country where order prevails.”

Once they complete foreign resident registration, the couple plans to stay at the Korea Immigration Reception Center on Yeongjong Island in Incheon for the time being.

If they are formally recognized as refugees, they will be permitted to work in Korea. If their asylum claim is ultimately rejected, they could be repatriated either to their home country or to a third country.

Measures to address the refugee issue

At Incheon International Airport, there are six remaining airport refugees.

Authorities say keeping asylum seekers in the departure waiting area for extended periods poses practical and diplomatic challenges. Any incident involving a refugee could escalate into an international issue, while long-term stays by foreign nationals strain airport management.

To address the issue, the Ministry of Justice is considering establishing a separate waiting facility outside the airport.

"The departure waiting area was designed for short-term stays, and it is difficult to manage the daily lives of individuals who remain there for extended periods while pursuing legal action," a Justice Ministry official said. "We are moving forward with plans to establish a separate waiting facility outside the airport's security zone to provide humanitarian support for litigants, as well as to older travelers and those accompanied by infants and young children.”

BY BYUN MIN-CHUL, KWAK JOO-YOUNG [lee.soojung1@joongang.co.kr]