S. Korea extends crackdown on illegal foreign residents by 2 months

SEOUL, Oct. 4 (Yonhap) -- The government has extended its campaign to crack down
on illegal foreign residents for two more months as the results of the past month
fell short of its goal, the Ministry of Justice said Sunday.
South Korea launched a government-wide campaign last month to encourage
foreigners overstaying their visas to leave the country, suspecting that some of
the 310,000 aliens whose visas are expected to expire during the second half of
this year may extend their stay without authorization.
The campaign, which involves the justice and labor ministries and the Small and
Medium Business Administration, resulted in 2,257 illegal residents voluntarily
leaving the country in one month. Those who voluntarily leave are exempt from
fines, and the period of their future entry ban is shortened to less than one
year.
"The campaign has been underway to encourage voluntary departures, but it has
fallen short of expectations," Seong Rak-seung, a justice ministry official,
said.
With the extension, the campaign will be effective until the end of November. Of
the 1.16 million foreign residents in the country, illegal residents account for
roughly 16 percent, or about 184,000 people.
Local businesses that illegally employ foreign residents are subject to a fine of
up to 20 million won (US$17,000) and a ban on future employment of foreign
residents for up to three years.
hkim@yna.co.kr
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