And the days just Inch-eonwards

June 26, 2019 7:54 PM

An Angolan family of five has been living in an airport in South Korea for over six months now, awaiting the outcome of their asylum request. The father says was tortured in prison and will be killed if he returns. South Korean officials repeatedly tried to deport the family, who are trying to follow UNHCR procedure, but a Korean man has hired them a lawyer and is fighting to have them assessed for refugee status. In the meantime they are sleeping on airport furniture and dependent on the kindness of strangers for food and other necessities.
posted by serathen (6 comments total)

"If you travel overseas and something goes wrong, you'll be sent back to Angola and arrested as soon as you arrive at the airport. Once I'm arrested they'll know that I escaped from prison. Imagine what will happen after. I'll surely be dead."


Scary stuff. The world is still struggling with how to treat/support refugees.
posted by greenhornet at 8:15 PM on June 26, 2019 [4 favorites]

This is the absolute barest minimum of not-quite silver linings, but (if they're in the international transit area), Incheon is the least hostile-to-human-comfort airport space it's been my profound lack of pleasure not to be able to avoid spending time in.
posted by deadbilly at 8:27 PM on June 26, 2019 [3 favorites]

I’m not in a position to watch videos so maybe someone can tell me: How in the heck did they end up in South Korea?
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 9:19 PM on June 26, 2019

I can’t watch videos now either, but found a few articles about the Lulendos. It looks like they obtained tourist visas in Angola to visit South Korea and then requested refugee status upon entry. The father had been in jail for hitting a police car while working as a taxi driver, and when imprisoned, was tortured and his wife was raped. A cop conspired with him to break him out of jail and he believes if he returns, he will be killed, both for the escape and due to his status as a Congolese minority. I didn’t see anything about why the family chose South Korea. (Note, a different article says he is Angolan and migrated to Congo for work when he was younger and therefore faces discrimination—not sure which is accurate).

http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_international/898849.html
posted by stillmoving at 12:14 AM on June 27, 2019 [1 favorite]

I haven't found a comprehensive news article, though here's one about the legal aspects (currently on appeal). The parents are Angolan citizens, but originally from DR Congo. They chose South Korea in part because it was the first embassy nearby which would give them a visa, as they were fleeing the country very quickly. But also because they had heard the law was favorable to refugees, which obviously is not the case.
posted by serathen at 2:48 AM on June 27, 2019

serathen: But also because they had heard the law was favorable to refugees, which obviously is not the case.

My impression is that in many countries, including my own, the law as written is more favourable to refugees than the law as practised.
posted by clawsoon at 3:28 AM on June 27, 2019 [13 favorites]