Six North Korean defectors who arrived in the U.S. Friday night have been defined as refugees, not as political exiles, and will have access to assistance in resettling in the U.S. The six will be referred to the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI), undergo social familiarization training, and receive necessary assistance under the organization's program.
In the 1970s, the USCRI played a critical role in helping Vietnamese refugees, commonly known as "boat people," resettle across the U.S. Originally launched in 1910 as a bureau of the YMCA dedicated to assisting new immigrants, the organization has extended its helping hand to some 150,000 refugees.
However, the USCRI has no cash assistance program. Against this background, the North Korean defectors gave their written promise to pay back their Washington-bound airfare to the U.S. government when they are established in the country. On the other hand, the Seoul government offers North Korean refugees a significant amount of cash assistance, including a resettlement fund. Seoul's program for North Korean refugees is modeled after that of Germany.
One informed source in the matter said yesterday that the six North Koreans, who are the first to enter the U.S. under refugee status, are likely to benefit from a great deal of assistance programs other than the USCRI. The source expects the programs to be offered by the U.S. government, religious groups, and other social institutions.
USCRI's resettlement program is aimed at helping refugees, asylum seekers and other types of uprooted people stand on their feet in the U.S. as quickly as possible, without imposing a heavy burden on the U.S. government. Under this program, the North Koreans will be referred to one of 10 affiliated organizations for refugee resettlement based on the applicants' qualifications. This will be done after the six receive three hours of cultural assimilation training at USCRI headquarters.
Each applicant will be given a federal social security number, a precondition for employment and schooling in the U.S. Thus, the moment when the North Korean refugees set foot on U.S. soil, they had already obtained their work permits. The refugees will also receive assistance in housing, medical benefits and English training under the coordination of their affiliated institution.
The U.S. government encourages those with refugee status to find employment within the first six months of their stay. The North Korean defectors in the U.S. will be entitled to apply for permanent residency after one year and will be allowed to seek U.S. citizenship after five years.
North Korean refugees set to receive benefits from U.S. |
