South Korea now joins the Philippines as the second Asian country ever to grant refugee citizenship to a foreign national, which in this case has been given to an Ethiopian man who has resided there since 2001.

Commending South Korea’s leadership, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees spokesperson Melissa Fleming stated, “This is a highly significant milestone in Asia.”

She went on to urge other Asian nations to adopt the United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, an agreement joined by South Korea in 1994 that is currently signed by 147 countries.

South Korea, we join in respectfully lauding your spirit of generosity and welcome. May such exemplary deeds inspire similar actions across the globe, bringing brotherly peace among all nations.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8583611.stm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UN_refugee_convention
http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/world/republic-of-korea-grants-recognized-refugee-citizenship-for-the-first-
time_100338648.html
http://www.unhcr.org/pages/49da0e466.html
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/opinon/2010/03/137_62928.html