By Lee Kyung-min
Eighty-five Koreans were denied entry into the U.S., Sunday, because the stated purposes of their visits differed from the actual purposes, the foreign ministry said Wednesday.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it confirmed this with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and aircraft operators that carried the 85 people.
They, the ministry said, were denied entry at Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Georgia Sunday after some of them told immigration officials there that they had flown to the U.S. for reasons other than travel.
All of them, before arrival, cited tourism as the reason for their visits on the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), a travel document under the visa waiver program between the two countries. The program permits Koreans to visit the U.S. for tourism or business for up to 90 days without visas.
The ministry refused to disclose the identities of the individuals citing privacy, only confirming that they are in their 60s and 70s.
While the Korean Consul sought to meet with the 85 people, they were already aboard two different planes to return home.
Of them, 36 people who arrived at 9:10 a.m., Saturday at Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport aboard a Korean Air flight, departed at 11:50 a.m., Sunday aboard another Korean Air flight 27 hours after their arrival.
The remaining 49 people who arrived at the Georgia airport aboard Delta Air Lines, made a stopover at Detroit before returning home as there was no direct flight.
No abusive treatment was reported. CBP provided the 85 people with interpretation services and food while they were staying in a separate waiting room.
The entry denial triggered heated responses here as it was the first such case following the strengthened border security protocols maintained by the Transportation Security Administration, an agency of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
While authorities in both countries refused to confirm the incident, reports were made that the denial came after U.S. authorities found no matching U.S. addresses some of the 85 people had submitted as their planned places of stay.
Some said they were visiting to attend religious events, while others said their itineraries included visiting an agriculture-related event.
The ministry said to prevent any recurrence of such an incident, the Korean Consulate General in Atlanta would give public notice in detail concerning what could be possible grounds for entry denial after consulting with CBP officials.