Ambassador says travel ban for Koreans could be lifted soon


Korea could lift its ban on its citizens traveling to war-torn Afghanistan within a matter of months, the Afghan ambassador said in an interview Tuesday.

Ambassador Mohammad Yunos Farman said he was “very optimistic” that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would ease restrictions on travel to the central Asian country in the coming months.

“I have a good a friend at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here. He was ambassador of Korea in Kabul at that time I was at the foreign ministry, we know each other well. We are in permanent contact and last year, also, we spoke about that matter,” said Farman.

A work visa program between the countries is a possibility in the near future, he said, and will be discussed next month during a visit here by Afghanistan’s deputy minister of foreign affairs.

“We are considering signing an MOU between Afghanistan and Korea. In that case, our young could come to work here in Korea and learn a little bit because Afghanistan will be in need of this labor.”

Korean citizens have been prohibited from traveling to Afghanistan since 2007, when the Taliban kidnapped 23 Korean Christian missionaries, two of whom were later executed. While acknowledging that travelers are always wise to exercise caution, Farman stressed that security in his country has been improving.

Korean citizens are also barred from visiting Yemen, Iraq, Syria and Somalia. According to diplomatic sources, MOFAT is to review the travel bans in February.

“Security and the progress of development go together and should work together. If somewhere there is electricity, it is more secure. If there is no electricity, it is less secure. For that reason, my recommendation is that they start to go to Afghanistan,” he said.

Korea, a country from which Farman said Afghanistan can take inspiration when it comes to development, has played a significant role in helping provide that security. The Korean Provincial Reconstruction Team has been carrying out infrastructure work in Parwan Province since 2010, completing the Korean Education Cultural Center, Korea-Afghan Friendship Health Center and Police Training Center earlier this year. Some 350 Korean military personnel, who are due to leave the country by the end of this year, provide security for the reconstruction efforts.

“They (the PRT) have training centers for police, they have health centers and also for social activities, and we are very happy that they have made a lot of progress in Parwan Province,” said Farman.

“As you know, Korea promised to assist Afghanistan over the next five years with $500 million. Part of that will go to strengthening of our security forces, especially the police.”

Extended conflict following the Soviet invasion, and later NATO intervention, has seen major population displacement in Afghanistan. There are some 3 million Afghan refugees worldwide according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, some of which inevitably have ended up in Korea. Asked about Korea’s low rate of acceptance of refugees ― just over 10 percent as of last year ― Farman acknowledged that it was “difficult” for applicants, but added that most Afghan migrants are economic migrants rather than political refugees.

“The number of refugees is very small, something like 40 or 50 (every year). I am in touch with them.”

He said there was also a problem with a small number of non-Afghans entering Korea with Afghan passports.

“Some other nationalities with Afghan passports, they are also here. From time to time when we asked if they are Afghan we have noticed that they are not Afghan.

“There is no specific border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. It is very difficult also from face or from language or from other things to distinguish whether (someone) is a Pakistani or an Afghan.”

By John Power (john.power@heraldcorp.com )