Seoul – The International Organization for Migration (IOM) Mission in the Republic of Korea (ROK) organized training on "Passport Examination and Procedure Manual" from 10 to 13 September 2024. The event brought together 24 immigration and border management officials from Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Viet Nam.

The third year’s programme commenced with a three-day in-person training led by Nelson Goncalves, Head of the Legal Identity Unit at IOM Headquarters, and Nirut Bannob, National Officer for Immigration and Border Governance at IOM Mission in Thailand.

The sessions centred on the newly updated “Passport Examination and Procedure Manual," training the participants on advanced techniques in travel document examination. By providing these essential skills, the training not only enhances the border officials’ abilities to detect fraudulent documents but also advances the broader goal of promoting humane immigration and border governance. It ensures that security and screening measures are applied consistently and fairly, reducing the risk of arbitrary decisions and strengthening human rights protections at borders.

On the fourth day, participants visited the Korea Minting and Security Printing Corporation, where they were comprehensively briefed on border policies and current operations of the ROK. The study visit also included a tour of the passport manufacturing and processing facilities, showcasing the advanced security features and technologies used in the production of the country’s passports and other vital security documents.

"Equipping border officials with the latest tools is crucial to ensure they are trained in cutting-edge techniques and standards for document verification. This training provided an opportunity to reinforce existing skills and enhance the ability to detect fraudulent travel documents, while maintaining security and ensuring smooth, humane border processing," said Bannob, emphasizing the importance of understanding intricate passport security features and document fraud detection. Bannob further noted, "Hearing participants' personal experiences with passport examinations at borders was particularly insightful, offering valuable perspectives on the practical application of security measures."

Launched in 2022, IOM’s three-year Capacity Building on Humane and Gender Inclusive Immigration and Border Management in ASEAN Project, funded by the Korea International Cooperation Agency, aims to strengthen the capacity of the border officials from selected ASEAN member states. The project focuses on ensuring that the human rights of all individuals at international borders, particularly women and those crossing irregularly, are respected and protected. In its previous years, the program successfully delivered Legal Identity Training in 2022 and Training on Rights and Gender-based Approaches to Border Management in 2023.

IOM plays a pivotal role in advancing Global Compact for Migration (GCM) objectives with ASEAN states through inter-governmental capacity-building programmes. As a key resource facilitator, IOM works closely with governments to implement GCM principles, fostering a coordinated, rights-based approach to migration management for regular, orderly and safe migration within the South East Asian region. 

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For more information, please contact Youngin KIM, IOM Republic of Korea Mission, Tel.: +82 70 4820 2647, Email: yokim@iom.int.