On March 16, 2007, the National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) announced its findings from a " survey on the basic livelihood status of persons whose resident registrations have been cancelled" and hosted a policy debate on ways to improve the human rights conditions of such persons.
People whose resident registrations have been cancelled are a major vulnerable class in terms of basic livelihood in Korean society. Thus, the NHRCK commissioned the Korea Research and Consulting Institute on Poverty (an external research institute) to conduct a survey on their basic livelihood in order to shed light on their living conditions and devise ways to improve their situation.
The survey primarily entailed review of legislation on resident registration and in-depth interviews of people with cancelled resident registrations. Said review of legislation encompassed analysis of the legal mechanism and policies on resident registration, government policy data, and materials from the National Assembly. On the basis of the findings of this survey, methods to improve the resident registration cancellation system were formulated. Among those whose resident registrations have been cancelled, forty persons for each type of resident registration cancellations (i.e. persons with no definite residence, family registration, or nationality; persons isolated from society or their families; persons who failed to perform debt obligations, etc.) were selected by random sampling and were interviewed in-depth.
The survey identified the status and cause of resident registration cancellations, legal rationale for ex officio resident registration cancellations by administrative authorities, and the basic livelihood of persons with cancelled resident registrations. It also examined the resident registration cancellation system from a legal perspective to find ways to improve it.
Based on its findings, the NHRCK put forward legal and institutional approaches to improve the human rights status of persons subject to resident registration cancellation. Firstly, the Commission proposed, in connection with the Resident Registration Act, restrictions on civil petitions by a third party to cancel a resident registration, limitations on ex officio resident registration cancellation by administrative authorities, protective measures for persons subject to resident registration cancellation under other laws, simplification of the procedures to reinstate resident registrations, and so on. To improve the social security legislation protections for persons subject to resident registration cancellation, the NHRCK also suggested special protection for people with no stable and definite abodes by enhancing the practical effect of granting basic livelihood security numbers, establishment of an emergency benefit system, and provision of substantive protection for those registered as residents of shelters for the homeless. One of the findings from the survey is the case of Poi-dong residents who waged an alleged " bogus demonstration" on March 14, calling for reinstatement of their resident registrations and withdrawal of claims for an indemnification for land use.
In addition, the NHRCK hosted a policy presentation involving the survey research team, academic experts, and officials of the ministries concerned in order to share its findings and formulate measures to improve the human rights conditions of people with cancelled resident registrations, who remain excluded from social security protections including those for basic livelihood, employment, financial transactions, and voting in elections. Director Jeong-Soon Ryu (Korea Research and Consulting Institute on Poverty), Professor Gyeong-Su Yeo (BK21 Team at Chungbuk National University) and Director Shi-Woong Hyun (Daegu Homeless Counseling and Support Center) and government officials from the Ministry of Government Administration and Home Affairs and the Ministry of Health and Welfare attended the presentation to engage in comprehensive discussion on government policies and future actions to combat poverty.
