Ahmed Lababidi waits for the bus on Jeju Island. Lababidi left his war torn hometown, Aleppo, fleeing across the Turkish border in 2012.
Malte E. Kollenberg
Ahmed Lababidi fled his home in the war-ravaged city of Aleppo, Syria, in 2012. The 22 year old then traveled to South Korea with his brother, where they were able to secure visas with the help of a Syrian businessman in Seoul.
Soon after, Lababidi applied for refugee status, but he says Korean immigration officials denied his request.
“I can stay here, but not as a refugee,” he recalls being told.
Lababidi settled on Jeju Island — a honeymoon destination for South Koreans — home. Though, for how much longer is anyone’s guess.
Multimedia journalist Malte E. Kollenberg recently spent some time with Labadidi to find out what his life was like on Jeju Island.
Ahmed Lababidi followed his younger brother to South Korea and now calls Jeju Island home.Malte E. KollenbergAhmed Lababidi checks his phone waiting for the bus.Malte E. KollenbergMost of the time Ahmed Lababidi is working. He wants to make money. When he's off he spends his time with friends in one of the countless coffee shops around.Malte E. KollenbergAhmed Lababidi's smartphone has become an integral part of his life in Korea. And he uses it to stay in touch with his family in Turkey.Malte E. KollenbergAhmed Lababidi talks to his father — who fled to Turkey — via video chat.Malte E. KollenbergAhmed Lababidi on the bus around the island. He takes the bus to work, but on Sundays, he has to take a taxi sometimes. With quite good Korean language proficiency he programs the navigation for the taxi driver.Malte E. KollenbergAhmed Lababidi after work, finishing up the shift at the Indian restaurant around 11 pm. He had problems with the immigration before and does not want to be photographed at work.Malte E. KollenbergAhmed Lababidi was given a temporary humanitarian visa, which allows him to stay in Korea, but immigration officials won’t tell him for how long. Unlike refugee status, a temporary humanitarian visa doesn’t entitle him to government support, such as medical insurance. And that’s something he could really use.Malte E. Kollenberg
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