Brunei's stoning law doesn't deter Korean tourists

Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah delivers a speech during an event in Bandar Seri Begawan on April 3. The sultan called for "stronger" Islamic teachings in the country as tough new Sharia laws, including death by stoning for gay sex and adultery, were due to come into force. AFP

By Jung Min-ho

Brunei's draconian new criminal laws have so far had little impact on Korean demand for exploring the country, major tour agencies here told The Korea Times Tuesday.

The Sharia penal code of the tiny nation on Borneo island came into force on April 3 to toughen penalties for a wide range of crimes, including stealing, drinking in public areas and gay sex ― a crime punishable by stoning to death.

“So far, we have not received any cancellation request since the Brunei news broke out a few days ago,” a PR official at Mode Tour, the country's second-largest travel agency, said. “There was no inquiry about safety there or other noticeable change of any sort. In fact, the number of tourists to Brunei in the first quarter this year jumped by 50 percent from the same period last year.”

An official at Hana Tour, the largest travel agency, also said demand for Brunei travel has not been affected by what is being criticized internationally as “cruel and inhumane laws.”

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a warning last week to citizens, saying that they should use “extreme care” when traveling to Brunei and that the law applies not only to Muslims but everyone, including non-Muslim foreigners.

Under the law, if a foreigner drinks alcohol in public areas or gives it to a Muslim, the person could face up to two years in prison.

If someone tries to spread any religious faith other than Islam, he or she could face up to six months in prison.

Brunei, an oil-rich former British protectorate with a population of just 430,000, is ruled by the Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, one of the richest people in the region, thanks to the country's oil industry.

Brunei is not a big tourist destination; only 278,000 visitors traveled to the country last year. But the government is stepping up its marketing push to become one. Brunei's national airline, Royal Brunei Airlines, which accounts for 80 percent of air travel to and from Brunei, said last month it would double visitor arrivals by 2021.

Korea is one of the airline's main targets in Asia. It launched direct flights between the two countries in 2017 and increased the frequency from twice a week to three times in March 2018. The number will increase to four times this month.

On March 10, President Moon Jae-in became the first Korean head of state in 19 years to make a state visit to Brunei.

During their meeting, Sultan Bolkiah expressed his support for Moon's New Southern Policy, which seeks to boost economic and diplomatic ties with the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). He also said the two countries' relations “have deepened not only in the energy and infrastructure sectors but also in cultural and people exchanges over the 35 years since the countries established diplomatic ties.”