Ruling that upheld the cancellation of refugee status granted on the basis of false statements

Who this helps

This may be useful for people who want to understand how a refugee recognition decision can be cancelled over statements made in the application.

Case overview

Case number

2024구단14237

Court

Seoul Administrative Court

Posted on original board

Apr 3, 2026 (Fri)

Topic

Refugees

Original title (Korean)

[난민] 원고가 난민인정 신청시 가족관계, 성적 정체성 및 박해의 경험 등에 관하여 거짓 진술을 하였고,…

The plaintiff had received a refugee recognition decision. That decision was cancelled on the view that the plaintiff made false statements about family relations, sexual identity, and experience of persecution, among other things, when applying for refugee recognition. A lawsuit was filed against this cancellation.

Can refugee status be cancelled if the application contained false statements?

The plaintiff had received a refugee recognition decision. That decision was later cancelled on the view that the plaintiff made false statements about family relations, sexual identity and experiences of persecution. The plaintiff brought a lawsuit against the cancellation. The court found that the statements were false and that the recognition decision was made because of them, so it held the cancellation lawful.

How the court ruled

The court found that the plaintiff made false statements about family relations, sexual identity, and experience of persecution, among other things, when applying for refugee recognition, and that the refugee recognition decision was made because of those false statements. The court therefore held that the cancellation of the refugee recognition decision was lawful.

What to check in a similar situation

Information about how a refugee recognition decision is reviewed and cancelled can be checked with the immigration office or the court that handles administrative cases.

• Find your immigration office
• Find support centers
• Contacts: Immigration Contact Center 1345

Terms explained

Refugee recognition decision

An official decision by the immigration authority that a person is recognized as a refugee.

Cancellation of recognition

An administrative act that withdraws an earlier refugee recognition decision.

False statement

A statement in the application that does not match the facts, such as about family relations, sexual identity or experiences of persecution.

More rulings on this topic

• Court upholds refusal of refugee status, finding a family property dispute is not a ground for recognition · Jeju District Court
• Ruling Cancelling Decision Not to Refer Guinean National's Refugee Application for Examination · Busan District Court
• Court overturns decision not to refer refugee applications for examination · Jeju District Court

See all 29 rulings on Refugees →

Frequently asked questions

Who brought the lawsuit?

The plaintiff, a person who had received a refugee recognition decision, sued over the decision to cancel it.

How did the court rule?

The court found that the plaintiff made false statements in the application and that the recognition was granted because of them. It held the cancellation lawful.

Does this result apply to every similar case?

No. It is the court's judgment in this particular case and does not apply as is to other cases.