The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    N. Korea holds politburo meeting to discuss Kim-Putin summit: KCNA

  • 3

    BLACKPINK's contract renewal still in limbo

  • 5

    Kim Jong-un's rejection of Russia's food assistance irritates North Korean defectors

  • 7

    INTERVIEWVirtual K-pop group MAVE: is more than just pretty pixels

  • 9

    Russia lodges protest to S.Korean envoy over Yoon's UN speech

  • 11

    Lawmakers want to grill business tycoons over decision to rejoin FKI

  • 13

    Disney+ aims to expand investment in original Korean content

  • 15

    Hebrew University students travel to Korea to explore musical landscape

  • 17

    Gov't reviews changing description of Fukushima wastewater

  • 19

    JSW in talks with LG Energy Solution to make EV batteries in India: sources

  • 2

    Scientists find green way to turn CO2 into fuel with sunlight

  • 4

    BTS member Suga begins mandatory military service

  • 6

    Opposition party in turmoil as leader could be arrested on Tuesday

  • 8

    Korea boosts subsidies to rev up falling EV sales

  • 10

    Foreign employees rewarded for contribution to Korea's shipbuilding industry

  • 12

    Arrest warrant hearing for DPK leader Lee to be held Tuesday

  • 14

    Korea hammers Thailand to clinch men's football knockout berth

  • 16

    Appellate court upholds 9-yr prison term for man over filming, distributing sexual videos featuring women

  • 18

    Yoon signs off on plan to waive expressway tolls during Chuseok holiday

  • 20

    'Songpyeon' for low-income families

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Sun, September 24, 2023 | 05:29
Immigration service searches for 'missing' Vietnamese tourists
Posted : 2022-10-27 17:01
Updated : 2022-10-28 17:59
Lee Hae-rin
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
Vietnamese travelers arrive at Yangyang International Airport in Gangwon Province on Oct. 14, one day after Fly Gangwon, a low-cost Korean air carrier, launched its Yangyang-Hanoi route. Yonhap
Vietnamese travelers arrive at Yangyang International Airport in Gangwon Province on Oct. 14, one day after Fly Gangwon, a low-cost Korean air carrier, launched its Yangyang-Hanoi route. Yonhap

By Lee Hae-rin

Around 100 Vietnamese nationals who entered Korea as tourists via Yangyang International Airport have fallen out of contact, raising suspicions at the immigration service that they could attempt to overstay their authorized period of stay to work illegally here. Under the current regional visa-free entry system, they are authorized to stay for 15 days.

According to the Vietnamese newspaper, VN Express, Le Thi Thu Hang, the spokesperson for Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, announced Tuesday that around 100 Vietnamese tourists have gone "missing" in Korea.

Vietnamese nationals, as well as those from the Philippines and Indonesia, have been able to enter Gangwon Province visa-free for a maximum of 15 days as part of a group tour by a state-designated travel agency since June this year. Mongolian travelers were also included in the visa-free entry program earlier this month.

Yangyang Airport's visa-free entry system was set up in June in response to a proposal by the Gangwon Province government to the Ministry of Justice arguing that the program would stimulate the local economy ahead of the Gangwon World Forest Expo in 2023 and the Gangneung Youth Winter Olympics in 2024.

The Vietnamese travel agency responsible for group tours has suspended bringing tourists to Yangyang. A company spokesperson said that the Vietnamese Embassy in Seoul is in touch with the Korean government to cooperate in searching for those missing and deploy protective measures to prevent them from staying illegally in Korea.

Korean low-cost carrier Fly Gangwon also decided to suspend flights to Vietnam to prevent unauthorized departures for the rest of the month, as announced through the airline's website. The airline made a total of 18 regular flights and six chartered flights in the two weeks since Oct. 14 when it launched the air routes connecting Yangyang to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

The missing tourists are suspected of attempting to remain beyond their authorized period of stay in order to work in Korea. Over 100 Thai tourists, who entered Jeju Island last month under a similar regional 30-day visa waiver program, have been caught working illegally or attempting to enter other parts of the country.

Group tourists who enter Yangyang via the regional visa-free entry program must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and enter through a designated travel agency, before being allowed to travel in Gangwon Province and the Seoul capital area under the guidance of the tour agency for a maximum of 15 days. The visa-free entry program is a trial program operating through May 31, 2023, which could be extended by year, depending on how its results are evaluated.



Emaillhr@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
miguel
Top 10 Stories
1Scientists find green way to turn CO2 into fuel with sunlight Scientists find green way to turn CO2 into fuel with sunlight
2Kim Jong-un's rejection of Russia's food assistance irritates North Korean defectors Kim Jong-un's rejection of Russia's food assistance irritates North Korean defectors
3Opposition party in turmoil as leader could be arrested on Tuesday Opposition party in turmoil as leader could be arrested on Tuesday
4Korea boosts subsidies to rev up falling EV sales Korea boosts subsidies to rev up falling EV sales
5Russia lodges protest to S.Korean envoy over Yoon's UN speech Russia lodges protest to S.Korean envoy over Yoon's UN speech
6Foreign employees rewarded for contribution to Korea's shipbuilding industry Foreign employees rewarded for contribution to Korea's shipbuilding industry
7Lawmakers want to grill business tycoons over decision to rejoin FKI Lawmakers want to grill business tycoons over decision to rejoin FKI
8Gov't reviews changing description of Fukushima wastewater Gov't reviews changing description of Fukushima wastewater
9'Songpyeon' for low-income families 'Songpyeon' for low-income families
10Big insurers up for sale, but financial conglomerates appear disinterested Big insurers up for sale, but financial conglomerates appear disinterested
Top 5 Entertainment News
1BLACKPINK's contract renewal still in limbo BLACKPINK's contract renewal still in limbo
2[INTERVIEW] Virtual K-pop group MAVE: is more than just pretty pixels INTERVIEWVirtual K-pop group MAVE: is more than just pretty pixels
3Hebrew University students travel to Korea to explore musical landscape Hebrew University students travel to Korea to explore musical landscape
4[INTERVIEW] Seoul's increased art market momentum brings Sotheby's back to Korea INTERVIEWSeoul's increased art market momentum brings Sotheby's back to Korea
5[INTERVIEW] 'Cobweb' director questions meaning of cinema INTERVIEW'Cobweb' director questions meaning of cinema
DARKROOM
  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group