False Entry of 'Singer Trainees'... Over 100 Foreign Women Employed in Entertainment Establishments

106 People Including Russia Falsely Invited with Art Performance Visas
Entertainment Agency CEO, Brokers Involved in Organized Crime... 12 Sent to Prosecution

A group involved in disguising over 100 foreign women, including Russians, as singer trainees and then employing them as entertainment hostesses has been arrested in large numbers.

The Ansan Immigration Office under the Ministry of Justice announced on the 7th that it had arrested four people, including broker A (46) and entertainment venue owner B (47), on charges of violating the Immigration Control Act, and sent a total of 12 people, including entertainment agency CEO C who falsely invited them, to the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office Anyang Branch without detention.

(This photo is not directly related to the article.) [Photo source=Pixabay]

From November 2020 to June 2022, A and others obtained E-6 artist entertainment visas by issuing employment contracts that made it appear as if foreign women from Russia, Thailand, and other countries would work as singer trainees or models.

They targeted the fact that with an E-6 visa, one can stay in the country for at least three years and that extending the period is not difficult. It was confirmed that A and others divided roles among local recruiters and employment brokers to commit the crime.

The Ansan Immigration Office began investigating the circumstances under which foreign women were invited to Korea with artist entertainment visas during a forced raid on an entertainment venue in Anyang, Gyeonggi Province, in June last year.

After the investigation began, A fled to Thailand in July last year but was arrested by the Thai immigration authorities following an Interpol red notice and was forcibly deported and detained in July this year.

Although immigration and related agencies conducted multiple crackdowns on entertainment venues, owner B is known to have avoided punishment by borrowing other people's names.

The Ansan Immigration Office stated that among the 106 people falsely invited, 46 have been subject to deportation or other measures, and they are tracking the whereabouts of the remaining entrants. They emphasized, "We believe there are more cases of foreign women illegally entering the country disguised as entertainers for illegal employment purposes, and we will strictly crack down."

Previously, there was also a case where a large number of false visas were issued under the pretext of refugees.

The Incheon Airport Immigration Office under the Ministry of Justice arrested and sent a Kazakhstani couple in their 30s to prosecution last month on charges of violating the Immigration Control Act and forgery of private documents for receiving between 1 million and 3 million won each in exchange for facilitating false refugee applications for 117 foreigners.

It was found that they recruited foreigners by advertising through mobile messenger that "refugee visas can be obtained in one day."

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