New passport law targets missionaries

From: The Korea Herald | Nov. 25, 2009
By: Hwang Jang-jin

The government seeks to revise the passport law to restrict outbound travel of those who have a record of deportation for illegal activities in foreign countries.

The measure would largely affect Christian missionaries. More than 80 Koreans were expelled from Middle Eastern countries for outlawed evangelical work for three months from July, according to the Foreign Ministry.

The ministry yesterday made a public notification of a new provision, under which the ministry will ban people from entering foreign countries from where they were deported for violation of local laws.

The government will restrict use of their passport and prohibit their entry to those countries between one year and three years.

The ministry plans to finalize the revision next month and submit it to the National Assembly for approval.

Since August, the ministry has been working with the Justice Ministry, the National Intelligence Service and the National Police Agency to come up with measures to restrain missionaries in Islamic countries as their activities threaten their safety and make Koreans targets of terrorist attacks.

Christians criticized the measure could violate the right to free travel and religious freedom.

About 19,000 Korean evangelists work around the world, the second largest after the United States, according to the Korea World Missions Association.

Kidnappings and terrorist attacks against Koreans have increased in recent years, possibly due to the nation's active support of the U.S.-led campaign against terrorism.

In 2007, Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan kidnapped 23 Korean Christian missionaries, two of whom were killed.

Four Korean tourists were killed by a blast in Yemen in March. In June, a female volunteer worker was abducted and killed by terrorists in the nation.

The government also plans to enforce current regulations restricting overseas travel more strictly.

Under the current law, the government can ban overseas travel for those who are under criminal investigation, as well as anyone with the potential to damage the country's interests, public safety and economic order.

The government can also refuse the issuance and renewal of passports for up to three years for those who have hurt the nation's reputation through illegal activities abroad.