South Korean immigration officials are split over a proposal to upgrade meals for foreign nationals awaiting deportation at Incheon International Airport. The Incheon Airport Immigration Office, under the Ministry of Justice, is considering providing meal boxes similar to airline offerings for people who have been ordered to leave the country.
According to immigration authorities, foreign nationals are transferred to Incheon after local offices confirm an unlawful stay and complete related procedures. They then remain in a designated departure waiting area until their flights. At present, those awaiting deportation receive basic food items, including bread and drinks, supplied by local immigration offices. The proposed change would shift meal provision to the airport office and replace the current basic provisions with more substantial meals.
Outlets report that the division within the immigration service centers on concerns raised by frontline officers, including safety considerations, and on questions about whether providing better food is appropriate for people being deported for immigration law violations. The proposal is still under consideration.
