In a landmark case, a judge at the Seoul Administrative Court granted two Falun
Gong adherents political asylum in Korea on January 16, 2008, finding that their
fears of persecution in China well-founded.
According to media reports and the refugees’ lawyer, this was the first
time that Falun Gong practitioners have been given political asylum in an East
Asian country – a region where the Chinese regime has exerted significant
economic and political pressure. In other countries like Japan, adherents have
been granted protection or residence permits, but the state has not formally
recognized their need to flee for fear of Chinese Communist Party reprisals.
Additional details on the case are available at: http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/connectasia/stories/s2143694.htm
Posting date: 14/Feb/2008
Original article date: 14/Feb/2008
Category: Media Reports