Yeosu Coast Guard Arrests Vietnamese Illegal Immigrant Violating Immigration Control Act

Published 14 Sep.2022 08:57(KST)

Arrest of Foreigner Who Fled by Climbing Fence During Inspection at Hangpo Port by Criminal Mobile Unit

Yeosu Coast Guard Arrests Vietnamese Illegal Immigrant Violating Immigration Control Act

[Yeosu=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Cheol-hoon] Jeonnam Yeosu Maritime Police Station (Chief Park Je-su) announced on the 14th that “on the 9th, at the Sogyeongdo pier in Yeosu, they arrested a foreign captain of an illegally overstowed vessel entering the port on charges of violating the Immigration Control Act.”

According to Yeosu Maritime Police, at around 7:40 PM on the 9th, they received intelligence that overstowed vessels frequently travel to island areas during the Chuseok holiday. While undercover at the Sogyeongdo harbor and port with the Criminal Investigation Division 2 (Criminal Mobile Unit), they inspected and searched fishing vessel A, suspected of being overstowed, as it was entering the port.

Upon checking vessel A, it was confirmed that the number of people on board exceeded the capacity. Captain T (in his 30s) fled during the inspection and hid by climbing over a wall in a nearby residential area, but was caught after a chase by the officers.

Verification of the identity of Captain T, a Vietnamese national, revealed that his stay period had expired last year, confirming him as an illegal foreign resident. He was arrested on the spot and handed over to the Yeosu Immigration Office.

In particular, the owner of fishing vessel A, B, who employed T despite his expired stay period, is also under investigation on charges of illegal employment of a foreigner.

In South Korea, foreigners whose stay period has expired and those who employ such foreigners face imprisonment of up to three years or fines up to 30 million won.

A Yeosu Maritime Police official stated, “We will continue crackdowns on safety-threatening acts such as overstowing and crimes related to illegal foreign residents to help establish a maritime safety culture.”