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PERMANENT MISSION OF THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA GENEVA
Statement by Ambassador Seokyoung CHOI
Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea
At the 63rd Session of the Executive Committee of the High Commissioner’s Programme 1 October 2012, Geneva
Thank you, Mr. Chair,
I would like to begin by expressing my sincere appreciation for your excellent leadership as Chair of the Executive Committee. My special thanks should also go to Mr. High Commissioner and his staff for their continued commitment and unwavering efforts in helping the most vulnerable people of the world.
As Mr. High Commissioner rightly pointed out in his opening remarks, the UNHCR’s humanitarian challenges have become numerous and complex. Their operating environment has become more insecure and unpredictable than ever before. Demands for protection and assistance are rising, while available resources for action are shrinking. Under these circumstances, the responses of humanitarian agencies would be most effective, when they collaborate on the basis of coordinated action plan. My delegation is pleased to hear that UNHCR has created many successful partnerships with other key stakeholders in order to maintain such a collaborative approach. We encourage UNHCR, as a leading player in humanitarian reform, to continue to support the work of the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator in the Inter Agency Standing Committee (IASC) and work together with OCHA in the field.
Mr. Chair,
In order to effectively cope with the rapidly changing and more complicated environment, reform initiatives of UNHCR should be strengthened especially by improving its emergency response and delivery capacity. The full implementation of UNHCR’s global stock management system last year is a good example of such efforts. With quicker and more predictable staff deployment mechanisms and faster resource allocation procedures, I hope that UNHCR continues to improve its organizational response to emergencies.
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With successful reforms in the recent years, UNHCR should continue on this path and focus more on assuring the quality of its financial and program management. In this respect, my delegation would like to emphasize the importance of a smooth implementation of the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) as a management priority of this year. I would also like to ask the UNHCR Secretariat to pay more attention to the key risk areas identified by the Board of Auditors and to accelerate implementation of their recommendations, especially in the area of procurement.
Mr. Chair,
As emphasized in the High Commissioner’s Note on International Protection, the principle of non-refoulement is central to the 1951 Refugee Convention, and this principle is a norm of customary international law. However, it is regrettable that cases of refoulement to certain countries increased in 2011. Taking this opportunity, I would like to highlight a number of reports of refugees and asylum seekers who fled from DPRK and have been sent back against their will. It is an urgent matter for us to pay attention to the plight of the North Korean refugees and asylum-seekers, and to make efforts to ensure their protection, especially through adhering to the principle of non-refoulement.
While new situations of displacement continued to multiply in 2011 and 2012, there have not been much progress in resolving old situations in countries like Afghanistan, the DR Congo, and Iraq. As a result, durable solutions remained elusive for a large number of refugees, two-thirds of whom are still living in protracted situations of exile. While expressing our deep appreciation to the countries that have hosted a large number of refugees for decades, my delegation shares the view that more attention and resources should be allocated to help those countries alleviate their social and economic burdens and achieve development of their local communities hosting those refugees.
Mr. Chair,
Last year, we had a successful ministerial conference on the occasion of the sixtieth anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Convention. As a donor, which is steadily increasing its contribution to humanitarian assistance, the ROK reaffirmed its commitment to provide and improve necessary protection for refugees and asylum-seekers. Now, I am pleased to share the progress to follow up such commitments.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the ROK’s accession to the 1951 Refugee Convention. Earlier this year, we enacted the Refugee Act, which will enter into force in
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July next year. By having this Act in place, the ROK now has a firm legal basis to protect and promote the human rights of refugees and asylum seekers who often become the most vulnerable and marginalized group within a society. Currently, the Korean government is drafting an Enforcement Decree to facilitate a full and comprehensive implementation of the Refugee Act.
The Government of the ROK recruited 64 refugee-specialized interpreters in 18 different languages in May this year to assist asylum seekers during interviews for refugee status determination procedures. We also anticipate the opening of the Refugee Reception Center in June next year, where asylum seekers will be provided basic subsistence support and refugees will be assisted in the integration into Korean society.
Mr. Chair,
In closing, my delegation wishes to reaffirm the Korean government’s commitment to the support of the noble efforts by UNHCR for the cause of refugees.
Thank you. /end/
