When Lee Sung-ah speaks about migration, she does not begin with statistics or policy debates. Instead, she starts with people. As immigration debates grow increasingly polarized around the world, Lee, deputy director general for management and reform at the International Organization for Migration (IOM), a United Nations agency, said the conversation needs to move away from fear-based narratives and toward a more balanced understanding of migrants. “In the end, it’s the people we are talking about. When someone feels they have no opportunities, or when they live in a conflict zone, they naturally leave in order to survive. Stopping them does not mean people will stop moving across borders,” she said during an interview with The Korea Times in Seoul on Friday. “Safe, orderly and regular migration pathways benefit everyone. And that is the message we are trying to send as we communicate with our partners.” Like many international organizations, IOM — which works with governments on migration policy and humanitarian assistance — is navigating new challenges amid shifting global politic
