Chinese Nationals Illegally Enter Jeju in Inflatable Boat

Chinese Nationals Attempt Illegal Entry into Jeju Island via Inflatable Boat

Six Chinese nationals were arrested for illegally entering Jeju Island using an inflatable boat, marking a significant incident that has raised concerns about border security and surveillance systems in the region. The individuals were found to have previously been deported after staying illegally in South Korea.

The Jeju Regional Korea Coast Guard confirmed on the 17th that all six suspects had been detained for violating the Immigration Control Act. Alongside them, two Chinese accomplices who helped facilitate their entry and two transportation or brokerage suspects were also under investigation for similar offenses.

According to the details provided, the group departed from Nantong City in Jiangsu Province, China, around 12:19 p.m. local time on the 7th of last month. They traveled approximately 440 kilometers in an inflatable boat equipped with a 90-horsepower engine and arrived at the coast of Yongsuri, Hangyeong-myeon, Jeju City, on the following day at 6 a.m. Their illegal entry was discovered when a resident reported an unidentified inflatable boat near a women divers’ changing room in Yongsuri on the morning of the 8th.

The six individuals, who were not related, included five men and one woman. Among them was Mr. A, a Chinese recruiter in his 30s, who had posted advertisements in a social media chatroom around May, recruiting people to illegally enter Jeju together. A total of six individuals conspired to do so. While Mr. A oversaw the planning, the other five pooled approximately 4 million Korean won each, totaling 20 million Korean won, to purchase the inflatable boat, fuel, and supplies. They conducted thorough preparations, including test runs.

The group considered multiple methods to reach Jeju, initially planning to use a fishing vessel but ultimately choosing the inflatable boat due to concerns over crackdowns and cost issues. They set Nantong as their departure point and set sail around 12:19 p.m. on the 7th. The boat was equipped with a GPS navigation device, which they turned off once they reached 20 kilometers off Jeju’s coast to avoid detection. After arriving near the women divers’ changing room, they abandoned the boat and dispersed.

Some of the Chinese nationals were arrested between the 8th and 11th of last month while fleeing with the help of Chinese accomplices already in Jeju. Others turned themselves in as the police investigation closed in. During the arrests, a Chinese man in his 30s was urgently apprehended in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, after hiding in a cargo truck and attempting to leave Jeju by ferry.

Five of the six individuals had prior records of illegal stays in Jeju, while one had been deported after an illegal stay in Gyeonggi Province. They had worked as day laborers at tangerine sorting facilities, fish farms, and fields in South Korea for approximately 4–7 years before being forcibly deported last year and earlier this year.

The Coast Guard stated that this is the first case of illegal entry via inflatable boat in Jeju being detected and described it as an isolated incident. However, the incident has highlighted vulnerabilities in Jeju’s maritime surveillance system.

Despite having around 40 thermal imaging detection devices (TOD) operating 24 hours a day along Jeju’s approximately 250-kilometer coastline, the system failed to detect the Chinese nationals’ illegal entry. The Coast Guard explained that its jurisdiction area covers 92,872 square kilometers, which is 50 times the area of Jeju Island and accounts for 26% of South Korea’s maritime territory. Given the vast jurisdiction, expanding equipment and personnel is necessary.

The Coast Guard added that when unidentified vessels are detected via police coastal patrol radar and TOD equipment, its patrol forces track and inspect the vessels to identify them. It emphasized the need for stronger cooperation with relevant agencies moving forward.