20s Backpacker Missing in Japan for 49 Days... Ministry of Foreign Affairs Encourages Local Police Investigation and Search

Ministry of Foreign Affairs "Consular Assistance Through Diplomatic Missions"
Diplomat from the Embassy of Ukraine in Korea
Use of 'Immunity'... "In Communication"

A Korean man in his 20s who went backpacking to Japan has been out of contact for about two months, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has stated that it has actively requested the local police to investigate and search for him.

At a regular briefing on the 27th, Ahn Eun-joo, deputy spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, explained, "Our embassy is actively encouraging the local police to investigate and search. We are providing necessary consular assistance, such as conveying the progress of the local police investigation to the family."

According to the Consulate General in Osaka, Sejun Yoon (27), who entered Osaka, Japan on May 9th with a tourist visa, has been missing for 49 days since last contacting his family last month. It is known that Yoon stayed at a guest house in Wakayama Prefecture while traveling before his career change.

The local police received a missing person report and have been investigating to find Yoon since last month. The Korean police are also searching for Yoon’s whereabouts based on his card usage history. The police are reportedly investigating with all possibilities open, including any criminal involvement.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also stated that it is "continuing communication with relevant agencies" regarding an incident where a first secretary (diplomat) from the Embassy of Ukraine in Korea assaulted police officers while intoxicated at a pub in Itaewon, Yongsan-gu.

On the 25th, the diplomat caused a disturbance by pushing through a line at the pub, leading to conflicts with customers and pub staff who tried to restrain him. When police officers who responded to the report requested identification, the diplomat reportedly struck one officer in the face. The police arrested him on the spot, but upon confirming his status as a diplomat from the Ukrainian embassy during the investigation, he was released the next morning.

According to Article 31 of the Vienna Convention, diplomats and their families are granted "immunity" from criminal prosecution in the host country. The police sent an official letter through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Ukrainian embassy asking whether Mr. A would invoke diplomatic immunity. If Mr. A uses diplomatic immunity as a diplomat, the case will be closed with "no prosecution."

However, if the home country revokes the immunity, police investigation and punishment are possible. In 2016, a staff member of the New Zealand Embassy in Korea caused a similar drunken disturbance, but the embassy expressed willingness to waive the diplomat’s immunity, allowing cooperation with the investigation. Waiving immunity is a declaration of accepting jurisdiction, making punishment possible.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.