By Sister Mari Etta Yoon, Green Door outreach worker, South Korea (Province of Northeast Asia)
South Korea is increasingly reliant on migrant workers to sustain its economy amidst a rapidly aging population. Yet, many of these people find themselves trapped in rigid legal frameworks, which severely restrict their mobility and leave them highly vulnerable to exploitation, unsafe working conditions, and systemic exclusion. Undocumented migrants and their children face even steeper barriers, as they are frequently denied access to basic healthcare, legal protection, and social support.
In response to these pressing needs, our sisters established an outreach project in 2018 known as the Green Door. The name is taken from the original Green Door at our Motherhouse in Angers, France, where, since the early nineteenth century, under the guidance of Saint Mary Euphrasia, that door has served as a powerful symbol of our Good Shepherd charism—a threshold where girls, women, and children who may have experienced vulnerability, exclusion, or hardship are welcomed into a space of safety, dignity, healing, and opportunity.
The Green Door in Korea is not a physical entrance to a building, but rather a visiting apostolate that opens a door of hope to approximately 80 to 150 migrants from Thailand, Cambodia, the Philippines, and Laos who work in isolated rural areas of Korea.
The project offers various forms of support according to their needs. Migrants often face difficulties with administrative procedures and language barriers in Korea. Our sisters working on the Green Door project accompany them to hospitals and embassies, cover medical expenses, provide food, clothing, and daily necessities through local sharing, assist with heating costs, offer opportunities to experience Korean culture, and conduct Korean language classes.
“Our relationship with those we meet should be for them a means of encounter with Jesus the Good Shepherd. We seek to approach them as he does.” (OLCGS Constitutions No. 5).
The impact of this accompaniment transforms lives. Phayung*, who arrived eight years ago, worked alongside her husband in a rural strawberry greenhouse, faced a sudden crisis when her undocumented husband was detained and deported. Left alone with her newborn daughter in a precarious situation, Phayung received vital assistance from the sisters to register her child’s birth, navigate complex administrative processes, and secure the travel expenses needed to safely return home. Today, she shares that she is living well and reunited with her family.
The apostolate also provides critical healthcare advocacy for those pushed to the margins. Suparaporn*, a newly arrived migrant experiencing a high-risk pregnancy, was connected by the Green Door to Mary Home for unwed mothers run by our Good Shepherd Sisters. There, she was able to give birth safely and receive the necessary provisions to care for her baby, who is now growing up healthy.
For others, the project offers hope amidst profound tragedy. Chabannditt*, who arrived legally ten years ago, continued to work in difficult conditions even after his visa expired to support his impoverished family, suffered a catastrophic head injury in a workplace accident. Having lost his livelihood, his home, and his independence, he is now cared for by his wife, Srisacam*. The Green Door continues to accompany them through their darkest hours, offering ongoing support and keeping the hope alive that they might one day return to their home country.
The Green Door project is part of a comprehensive, nationwide network of Good Shepherd ministries led by our sisters and partners-in-mission across South Korea. From operating the national 1366 emergency hotline for women in crisis to running shelters for victims of domestic violence and sex trafficking, our mission in the country is to advocate for the marginalized and transform unjust systems.
As Sister Mari Etta Yoon reflects on the Green Door’s mission: “regardless of religion, wherever migrants are, we go to be with them. When they are in difficulty and have nowhere to turn, we quietly walk alongside them”.
*Names have been changed for confidentiality
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