Plan to serve airline meals to deportees divides immigration officials

A proposal to provide airline-style meals to foreigners awaiting deportation at Incheon International Airport has sparked controversy among immigration officials. While some front-line officers have raised safety concerns, others question the appropriateness of offering improved food to individuals ordered to leave South Korea for legal violations.

According to immigration authorities, the Incheon Airport Immigration Office under the Ministry of Justice is mulling the idea of distributing in-flight meal boxes to these foreign nationals. Those ordered to leave the country typically pass through Incheon International Airport after local immigration offices confirm their unlawful presence and complete the required procedures.

They then wait in a designated departure area until their flights. Currently, those awaiting deportation receive bread and drinks supplied by local immigration offices. The Incheon Airport Immigration Office is now proposing to transition to meals directly provided by airlines, deeming this the most practical solution. The office continues to consider this option and has not yet made a final decision.