Govt. vows to help Koreans affected by US executive immigration orders

The government vowed Tuesday that it will protect the rights of South Koreans illegally staying in the United States following Washington's new executive orders governing immigration.

President Donald Trump signed on Friday an order barring citizens of seven Muslim countries from traveling to the US for 90 days and suspending all refugee admissions for 120 days. The action drew an angry backlash both at home and abroad.

"The executive order does not aim to immediately deport some 11.43 million illegal immigrants in the US It seeks to follow the procedures of stringent scrutiny and deportation of illegal immigrants with records of terrorism or crimes while banning the entrance of citizens from seven countries with terrorist threats," Cho June-hyuck, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in a press briefing.

Spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Cho June-hyuck speaks to reporters at a press briefing (Yonhap)

"Our government plans to keep track of the Trump administration's immigration policy and continue necessary efforts to protect the rights and interests of our citizens staying in the country," Cho noted. 

Data indicate that there quite a few South Korean nationals staying in the United States even after the expiration of their visas.

Despite Trump's election opposition to giving more US visas to foreign professionals, no specific plan has been announced regarding the administration's policy on visas for students and professional workers, the spokesman said.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will keep an eye on how related policies are enacted and review measures to protect the rights and interests of our citizens," he said. 

Cho, however, declined to comment after being asked to clarify the government's position on the global reaction to the recent US move on immigration, which has been widely denounced around the world. (Yonhap)