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Working for Migrant Rights
FEATURE
The Universal Culture Center By Soumitra Kumar Kundu
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The UCC was established in Gwangju Metropolitan City in 2007 by Indian-Korean Basu Mukul. Basu originally arrived in Korea in 1989 as a meditation teacher of Ananda Marga and later graduated from Seoul National University. Soon after, he began volunteer work to aid other international students and local foreign laborers. After marrying a Korean citizen in 1993, he changed his nationality to Korean in 1999. On Memorial Global Citizen Day 2020, Basu received the Prime Minister’s Award from the South Korean government in recognition of his ongoing volunteer work for migrant workers and multicultural families. One of the most challenging aspects of being a foreign national in Korea is finding the information on how to navigate complicated legal or medical situations. The UCC’s information desk provides consultation and information regarding visas, medical procedures, insurance, and Korean law. The UCC staff accompany
October 2021
The UCC is a well-known NGO operating in the South Jeolla area. Since 2007, it’s been working to meet the needs of migrants in a variety of ways. Some of the many actions undertaken by the UCC include advocating for migrants’ human and labor rights, operating free temporary and long-stay shelters for migrants, offering counseling about living in Korea for immigrant housewives and migrants, hosting language classes, running food sharing programs, operating volunteering programs with migrant housewives and international students, and hosting cultural festivals and events with local organizations. As
a government-accredited institution, Korean students can also receive volunteering credit for working with the UCC.
www.gwangjunewsgic.com
construction worker in Gwangju is injured on the job and doesn’t know the procedure for taking leave from employment. A PhD researcher is expecting a new baby, but isn’t sure how to go about getting pre- and post-natal care in Korea. A factory worker in Mokpo doesn’t receive his full salary but feels powerless to complain to his employer who sponsored his visa. Foreign nationals in a variety of stressful and vulnerable situations can turn to the Universal Cultural Center (UCC) for information and legal and financial support.
2021-09-28 �� 11:19:59
