New UN report shows global refugee numbers hit 18-year high last year

The UN report shows the world has more than 45.2-million refugees or internally displaced people as of 2012.
The annual Global Trends report released by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees on Wednesday says the number has hit a 18-year high.
A majority of the refugees come from Middle Eastern countries, including Afghanistan, Somalia, Iraq, Sudan and Syria.
The UN refugee agency’s High Commissioner Antonio Guterres says the current figure will mushroom even further when taking into account this year’s surge of refugees from the crisis in Syria.

“I have no doubt the Syrian crisis is not only one of the most dramatic humanitarian crisis we have faced since the Cold War, but is the most dangerous one”

Guterres also noted a couple of worrisome trends.
One trend indicates a faster rate of refugee outflow, or the faster rate at which people are being forced into displacement.
The report shows there is a new refugee or internally displaced person every four seconds.
Another trend is that developing countries, with per-capita GDP of less than 5-thousand dollars, are hosting more refugees than developed countries.
Developing countries host more than 80-percent of the world’s refugees last year compared to 70 percent a decade ago.
Korea, a hosting country of around 3-hundred-30 refugees, set a new law which is to take effect starting July 1st.
The Refugee Act is aimed at making it easier for internally displaced people to obtain the right to stay in Korea.
Measures include more comprehensive support in terms of education and employment to help displaced people start a new life.
Kim Ji-yeon, Arirang News.

Reporter : jiyeonkim@arirang.co.kr