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2 Russians stranded at South Korea airport for months win right to apply for refugee status
- The two will end their Incheon airport stay and be settled in South Korea while undergoing the asylum recognition process, which could take years
- But a third Russian will have to remain at the facility after a court rejected his plea
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A South Korean court on Tuesday granted two Russian asylum seekers who have been stranded at Incheon airport for months the right to apply for refugee status, allowing them to enter the country.
The Incheon District Court rejected one other Russian national’s plea, without detailing the reasons for their decision.
The three men, whose lawyer requested they not be named out of concern for the safety of their families in Russia, have been living inside Incheon International Airport since October when they fled to avoid being drafted to fight in Ukraine.
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They landed in South Korea with hopes of being granted asylum, but the country’s justice ministry rejected their refugee applications at the airport.
Seeking to avoid enlistment does not qualify as a valid reason for receiving refugee status in South Korea, where all able-bodied men must serve 18 months of compulsory military service.
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The rejection prompted the three men to bring the case to court, while they remained stranded in transit areas at the airport for months.
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