The Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Korea, Gyeonggi
Provincial Government and IOM yesterday signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration between Korea and
IOM by establishing a Migration Research and Training Centre in
Gyeonggi Province.

"The Migration Research and Training Centre, which will open in
2009, will not only contribute to social, cultural and economic
development in Korea and the region through research and training
on international migration, especially as it pertains to Asia, but
will also help governments in the region to facilitate the movement
of human resources," said Korean Justice Minister Mr. Chung
Soung-jin, speaking at the signing in Seoul.

IOM Director General Brunson McKinley, who was in Seoul to sign
the MoU and separately to address the annual ASEM (Asia-Europe
Meeting) of Directors of Immigration, said that a taskforce would
be established and pilot projects launched to determine the future
direction of the Centre.

 

"IOM will manage the overall preparations, including the
development of research and training programmes, and will promote
the Centre among countries in the region," he said.

In his speech to senior Asian and European officials at ASEM
today, Director General McKinley went on to emphasize the need for
stronger regional cooperation through regional consultative
processes to improve migration management in the two regions.

Welcoming the establishment of the Centre, Mr. Kim Moon-soo,
Governor of Gyeonggi Province, said that the Provincial Government
will provide financial support, facilities and equipment for the
initiative.

Korea is a major destination country for migrants in Asia, most
of whom come to work in its booming economy or for marriage. It
currently hosts almost a million migrants from around the
world.

For more information, please contact:

June Lee

IOM Seoul

Tel +82 2 62.45.76.47

E-mail: "mailto:jlee@iom.int">jlee@iom.int