West Sea Coast Guard Agency apprehends man attempting illegal departure to China near Hongdo Island

Four People Including a Man in His 40s Who Attempted Stowaway and a Stowaway Facilitator Arrested

The West Sea Regional Coast Guard Agency (Chief Kim In-chang) arrested a man in his 40s who attempted to stow away to China and three others involved in facilitating the stowaway attempt off Hongdo Island, Heuksan-myeon, Sinan-gun, Jeollanam-do.

According to the West Sea Agency on the 22nd, on the afternoon of the 18th, the Coast Guard received a report that vessel A had lost contact near Sinan-gun. Deploying aircraft and patrol vessels, the Coast Guard conducted search operations considering various possibilities such as the vessel’s disappearance and stowaway attempts. Based on vessel A’s movement route and cooperation with the Chinese Coast Guard, they focused on the stowaway attempt and launched an arrest operation.

Illegal immigration attempt and broker are being arrested and detained.
[Photo by Seohae Coast Guard]

Vessel A departed from Soho Port, Yeosu, Jeollanam-do on the morning of the 14th, stopped by Wando Port, and took on stowaway suspect B (in his 40s) at Gweseong Port, Jindo.

Before B boarded vessel A, the Coast Guard identified a vehicle (rental) that entered Gweseong Port, Jindo, and on the morning of the 19th, arrested overseas Korean C (in his 40s), who facilitated the stowaway, in Gumi-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do on charges of violating the Stowaway Control Act.

Increasing the deployment of personnel on patrol vessels and police substations to strengthen maritime surveillance and utilizing aircraft, the Coast Guard additionally arrested stowaway suspect B and facilitators D and E off Hongdo Island, Heuksan-myeon, Sinan-gun, Jeollanam-do on the afternoon of the 19th.

The Coast Guard is investigating these individuals regarding their motives and circumstances for the stowaway attempt, as well as whether there are additional accomplices, and is concentrating its investigative efforts.

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