JAKARTA - A proposal to publish crime statistics broken down by nationality is sparking a heated debate in South Korea, as civic groups and migration experts warn the move could fuel xenophobia in a country increasingly dependent on foreign labor.

A group of conservative lawmakers in South Korea, led by Rep. Kim Mi-ae, has recently introduced a bill requiring the Justice Ministry to publish annual crime statistics broken down by nationality and visa status, a move they claim will improve data management as foreign arrests rose 7.8% in 2024 to over 35,000 suspects.

The risks of "fear-driven framing" were echoed recently by Lee Sung-ah, a senior official from the United Nations’ migration agency (IOM). In an interview with The Korea Times, the official warned that "policies shaped by anxiety and misinformation often undermine sound decision-making."

As the highest-ranking Korean official in the UN system, Lee argued that the conversation needs to move away from statistics and political scare tactics to focus on the human reality of why people move. 

She noted that migration is often a survival instinct, "In the end, it’s the people we are talking about. When someone feels they have no opportunities, or when they live in a conflict zone, they naturally leave in order to survive."

For South Korea, Lee believes this is a matter of national survival. With the country's population aging at a record pace, the old debate about whether or not to "allow" immigrants is effectively over and it’s now a necessity. 

She noted that "short-term labor migration will continue to play an important role in addressing immediate workforce shortages," but warned that stop-gap measures won't be enough forever. For a society shrinking as fast as Korea’s, she cautioned that "longer-term workforce stability may become increasingly important."

To keep South Korea’s economy from stalling, the government has recently set a record-breaking quota for 2026, planning to bring in 191,000 non-professional foreign workers to fill critical gaps in manufacturing, agriculture, and fisheries. That’s the highest number to date.