South Korean officials have reported a dramatic increase in the number of Russians seeking refuge.
The Korean Immigration Service published a report earlier this month stating that 5,750 Russians sought refuge in South Korea in 2023. That is more than the sum of all Russian asylum applications reported from 1994 to 2019, and it is five times greater than the 1,038 who requested shelter in 2022, according to CNN.
Moreover, the Immigration Service reports that the total number of asylum petitions last year was the most it has been in at least the last eight years. Besides Russians, the biggest influxes of asylum applicants were from Kazakhstan, China, and Malaysia.
Religious and political persecution were the two most prevalent justifications among those seeking refuge. Discrimination based on one's social group, ethnicity, or nationality was another factor.
When it comes to immigration, particularly asylum claims, South Korea is well-known for its stringent regulations.
The study states that out of over 103,000 asylum petitions received by South Korea in the last 30 years, only 4,052 have been officially recognized as refugees.
Escaping From Russia
Since the Kremlin invaded Ukraine, the plight of Russian citizens seeking refuge abroad has received considerable media attention. Hundreds of thousands of Russians have left the country in the last two years, with many escaping military conscription.
In 2022, five Russian men fleeing Moscow's war mobilization order were stuck at Incheon International Airport near the capital, Seoul.
Reports of a similar kind have surfaced in other media outlets. Statistics compiled by US border patrol agents reveal an increase in the number of Russian nationals detected after the implementation of the military conscription in September 2022 by Moscow.
Based on United States Customs and Border Protection statistics, around 22,000 Russian nationals attempted to enter the US across the southern border between October 2022 and February 2023.
