If Korea denies your refugee application, the Refugee Act gives you 30 days from the day you receive the denial notice to file an objection with the Minister of Justice. The notice itself must tell you the reasons and how to object. Read the date on it first, because everything that follows depends on that deadline.
Key points
- An objection must be filed within 30 days of receiving the denial notice (Refugee Act, Article 21(1)).
- If you file an objection, you cannot also file an administrative appeal under the Administrative Appeals Act (Article 21(2)).
- You have the right to a lawyer, and you can ask to see and copy your interview record (Articles 12 and 16(1)).
- Court action has its own time limits. They depend on the decision and the steps already taken, so have the notice reviewed as soon as you receive it.
What the Denial Notice Must Contain
When an application is refused, the applicant receives a written denial notice. Under Article 18 of the Refugee Act, the notice must state the reasons for the decision, including the judgment on the facts and the legal arguments, and must explain that an objection can be filed within 30 days, together with the deadline and the method.
If the reasons are vague, or if they describe your statements differently from how you remember giving them, note this. It is often the starting point of the objection.
How an Objection Works
- It is addressed to the Minister of Justice and submitted to the head of the regional immigration office, with materials that explain the grounds (Article 21(1)).
- It must be filed within 30 days of receiving the notice. The same 30-day rule applies to a cancellation or withdrawal of refugee status.
- The objection is referred to the Refugee Committee for review (Article 21(3)).
- A decision should be made within six months of receiving the objection, and the period can be extended by up to six months when unavoidable. If it is extended, you should be told at least seven days before the original period ends (Article 21(7) and (8)).
An objection and an administrative appeal are not interchangeable. Article 21(2) says that once you file an objection, you cannot file an administrative appeal under the Administrative Appeals Act.
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Rights That Matter for the Objection
A lawyer
Article 12 of the Refugee Act states that a refugee applicant has the right to the assistance of a lawyer.
An interpreter
If you cannot express yourself sufficiently in Korean, an interpreter must be provided (Article 14). If you do not understand the interview record, it must be interpreted or translated into a language you understand so that you can check it (Article 15).
Your file
You can ask to read and copy the materials you submitted and your refugee interview record (Article 16(1)). Many objections turn on differences between what the applicant said and what the record says, so request the record early.
What You Should Prepare
- The denial notice and anything showing the date you received it.
- A copy of your interview record.
- A short timeline of the events you described in your application.
- Any documents that were not submitted before, with translations.
- A list of points in the decision that you believe are wrong, with the reason for each.
Common Mistakes
- Counting the 30 days from the decision date instead of the day you received the notice, or waiting until the last week.
- Filing an objection that simply repeats the original application without addressing the reasons for refusal.
- Not requesting the interview record.
- Assuming that a court case can be filed at any time later. Court deadlines are separate and should be checked straight away.
When Legal Help May Be Useful
A lawyer can check the deadline, obtain and review the interview record, identify where the decision misread the facts, and prepare the objection so that it answers the stated reasons. We also help applicants earlier in the process; see Refugee and asylum support in Korea.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to object to a refugee denial in Korea?
30 days from the day you receive the denial notice, under Article 21(1) of the Refugee Act.
Can I file an administrative appeal instead?
If you file an objection under the Refugee Act, you cannot also file an administrative appeal under the Administrative Appeals Act. Which route fits your situation should be decided before the 30 days run out.
How long does the objection take?
The law says a decision should be made within six months of receiving the objection, extendable by up to six months where unavoidable.
Can I see what the interviewer wrote?
Yes. You can ask to read and copy your refugee interview record.
Can I go to court after the objection?
Court review is possible, but the time limits depend on the decision and the steps already taken. Have the notice reviewed as soon as you receive it rather than relying on a general rule.
Legal Basis
- Refugee Act (Act No. 14408): Articles 12, 14, 15, 16, 18, 21
- Checked against the Korean Law Information Center in September 2026. This article is general information, not advice on a specific case, and it does not predict whether any application will succeed.
Related reading
- Refugee and asylum support in Korea
- Immigration help for foreigners in Korea
- Immigration detention in Korea
- Can you appeal a deportation order?
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