Refugee migration has become an issue in Korean society in the21st century, and the reactions to Yemen refugees in Jeju island of2018 is a prime example. This study focuses on the reactions ofKorean society to Yemen refugees in Jeju island of 2018. ApplyingCohen (2011)’s moral panic theory, this study analyzes the processof producing an affect of fear and anxiety for refugees. This paperpoints out the limitations of the concept of moral panic, that is, theway in which moral panic is expressed differently according tosocial contexts, and the need to analyze its causes. In order toshow the social context, this study briefly presents the descriptivestatistical analysis of Koreans's social consciousness about refugeesand migrants. In addition, the researcher uses field research datasuch as refugee protest rally in Jeju Island and Seoul, relatedarticles and literature data such as amendments to the refugee law.
Following Cohen, this paper also analyzes “noisy construction, theexpression of affect: amplification of anxiety and fear” and “quietconstruction, the reaction of a group of experts.” In conclusion, thispaper shows that affective exclusion of refugees was embedded in social consciousness at the level of the life world. Second, throughthe case of exclusion of others represented as Yemen refugees inJeju island of 2018, this study analyzes that Korean society can bedriven to dramatic exclusion of others through amplification of fearand anxiety, which leads to claims for change in the system suchas revision of the constitution and law. In addition, it was foundthat refugees organize their own collective actions, they are insolidarity with civic groups, and their voices are not spreadingsocially. In other words, from the perspective of sociology ofhuman rights, it is pointed out that the refugees's claims are weakand the institutional effort for empowerment of refugees isnecessary.