Stowaway as Movement from a Migration-Refugee

This paper addresses the concept of migration-refugee as an interconnected notion, addressing the relationship between migration and refugees. It delves into the perception issue, which underlies the interpretation and application of laws and regulations, rather than focusing solely on the legal frameworks. Although it is an “illegal” act, we reviewed the meaning of stowaway as an escape and return for those who have no choice but to migrate and have lost their place to live. In Europe, where cross-border movements of migration-refugee persist, stowaway acts are connected to crime and targeted for crackdowns and control. Although the illegality and hazard of stowaways are emphasized to curb their movement, stowaways cannot be defined simply as illegal activities in that movement across boundaries. The Jeju people, who crossed borders between Jeju and Japan around 1950, were similarly forced into stowaway activities for survival due to restrictions on their mobility. Stowaway practices, which have persisted across modern and contemporary times and spaces, extend beyond mere illegal acts; as a form of migration-refugee movement, they provide a critical view of the power and capital operating within this mobility.