Job Description

Deadline for Applications

September 21, 2026

Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based)

A (least hardship)

Family Type (not applicable for home-based)

Family

Staff Member / Affiliate Type

Internship

Target Start Date

2026-11-01

Terms of Reference

Protection

The role of UNHCR Korea is to engage with various stakeholders including the Government, the National Human Rights Commission, Civil Society Organizations, and the media to improve the domestic asylum system and treatment of asylum-seekers and refugees so that they can fully exercise their rights, including the principle of non-refoulement.

The Protection Intern supports the team’s effort in engaging in advocacy, training, and strengthening capacity of the national refugee and asylum system. The intern also supports monitoring protection standards, operational procedures and practices in protection delivery in line with international standards.

The intern selected to work in this office are expected to show adaptability, flexibility, openness, team spirit, eagerness to learn and to contribute.

Duties and responsibilities

Under the supervision of UNHCR Korea Protection Team, Protection Intern supports:

• Provision of information to forcibly displaced and stateless people: support the Protection Unit in responding to inquiries from asylum-seekers and refugees.
• Support in communication with various stakeholders such as NGOs and government counterparts.
• Researching: conduct research on various protection-related information including Country of Origin Information (COIs).
• Translations: assist with the translation of documents, UNHCR documents, news articles, information for Persons under UNHCR’s Mandate, including memos, guidelines, and communication materials, from Korean to English and vice versa.
• Interpretation: assist with interpretation (consecutive or whispering) and written translation during events when required.
• Provide support for capacity-building training for government officers conducting Refugee Status Determination.
• Participation in meetings and taking meeting notes: accompany staff members to meetings and taking notes and/or interpreting.
• Assist in monitoring legislative and policy development.
• Provide logistical and administrative support for internal and external events, including roundtables, workshops, and public awareness campaigns.
• Prepare meeting minutes or summary notes as needed.
• Further to the tasks mentioned above, other tasks may also be added, according to interest and capability of the intern. The work will be distributed according to the intern’s capability and the office’s workload as needed.

Desirable qualifications and skills

• Background in law, international relations, political science, social sciences, human rights, or related fields
• Strong interest in refugee protection, statelessness and international human rights agenda
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in both Korean and English
• Ability to conduct legal and/or policy research and summarize complex information in a clear and organized manner
• Experience or coursework related to COI, asylum, human rights issues is an asset
• Strong translation and/or interpretation skills preferred
• Strong organizational and time-management skills, with the ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously

Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively in a multicultural team environment

The candidate may be requested to sit for a written test.

Conditions:

It is a full-time role with working hours starting from 9.00am to 6:00pm Monday to Friday (40 hours per week). The successful candidate will be assigned to support the team in UNHCR Korea.

This internship is sponsored by KOICA. The applicant should hold Korean citizenship and be between 19 and 34 year. The maximum age limit for those who served in the military will be extended accordingly: one year will be extended for those who served for less than one year; two years will be extended for those who served for more than one year and less than two years; three years will be extended for those who served for two years or more.

KOICA will sponsor KRW 2,200,000 directly to the intern and the difference between UNHCR internship allowance as per the relevant policy may be covered by UNHCR.

Previous participants of the KOICA Young Professional Program may not be eligible for the program.

Standard Job Description

Required Languages

Desired Languages

Additional Qualifications

Skills

Education

Certifications

Work Experience

Other information

This position doesn't require a functional clearance

Remote

No