11 May 2026 By Ko Myo
SEOUL, South Korea — Myanmar nationals working in South Korea are increasingly warning one another against returning home for family visits, following a surge in reports of the military junta blocking migrant workers from departing the country once they arrive.
The warnings have become a focal point within Myanmar community groups in South Korea. Activists and labor unions say the junta-controlled Ministry of Labor has been using various administrative excuses to revoke travel clearances for those attempting to return to their overseas jobs after a brief stay in Myanmar.
U Kyaw San, Secretary of the Korea-based Myanmar Federation for Democracy and Victory (MFDMC), told MPA that the risk of being “trapped” has created a climate of deep suspicion and fear. “People are advising each other in online groups not to take the risk,” he said. “Even those planning to visit neighboring countries like Thailand are keeping their plans secret from everyone but their closest relatives, fearing that any information could lead to a travel ban or passport cancellation.”
The concerns are not unfounded. According to reports from Radio Free Asia (RFA), at least 608 Myanmar migrant workers were officially denied departure from Yangon International Airport in April alone, despite holding valid visas and employment contracts.
There is also a growing anxiety regarding the selective cancellation of passports. The military regime has previously targeted activists and those suspected of supporting the opposition by invalidating their travel documents while they are abroad or during transit. For workers in South Korea, a cancelled passport would not only prevent them from returning to their jobs but could also lead to immediate legal instability in their host country.
Analysts suggest that the junta is intentionally restricting the movement of young, able-bodied workers as part of its broader strategy to enforce the national conscription law and to maintain a pool of labor within the country. By blocking returnees, the regime also hopes to curb the flow of remittances that have been a vital lifeline for families but are now being heavily taxed and monitored by the military bank.
For the thousands of Myanmar citizens in South Korea, the distance from home is now compounded by a heartbreaking dilemma: the desire to see aging parents and loved ones weighed against the very real possibility of losing their livelihood—and their freedom—forever.
