Rights watchdog calls for equal disability benefits for refugees

Refugees with disabilities are entitled to the same social security benefits as Korean nationals, South Korea's human rights watchdog said Wednesday.

The National Human Rights Commission of Korea said that it has asked the minister of health and welfare to revise the Welfare of Disabled Persons Act and related guidelines to ensure disabled refugees living in South Korea are treated equally with handicapped Korean citizens.

This photo, taken on Jan. 23, 2017, shows Lee Sung-ho, the chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission of Korea, presiding over a meeting in Seoul. (Yonhap)

The commission began its review of the nation's refugee benefit policy last year after finding out that a refugee child with a brain disorder was unable to enroll in school after failing to register as disabled and receive the relevant state subsidies.

The commission noted that international human rights accords, such as the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, along with domestic refugee laws stipulate equal treatment of refugees and host country nationals in terms of social security benefits. (Yonhap)