Jet Ski Smuggling? ... Bare-Handed Swimming and Fence Climbing 'Absurd Smuggling' Abounds

Recently, a Chinese national attempting to illegally enter Incheon from China by jet ski was arrested, sparking increased interest in methods of illegal entry.

Carrying Fuel Tanks on a Jet Ski, Navigating by Compass to Illegally Enter Incheon... Got Stuck in Mudflats and Requested Rescue

Jet ski used by a Chinese migrant in their 30s.
[Photo by Sejong, Incheon Coast Guard]

On the 20th, the Incheon Coast Guard arrested a man in his 30s, identified as Chinese national A, on charges of violating the Immigration Control Act.

A is suspected of attempting to illegally enter Incheon waters by jet ski on the afternoon of the 16th.

It was confirmed that he departed around 7 a.m. that day from Shandong region in China, more than 300 km away from Incheon, riding an 1800cc jet ski.

He was found to have traveled alone with five 25L fuel tanks. Wearing a life jacket, he navigated using a compass and binoculars, taking about 14 hours to reach the waters off Incheon.

He stated, "I have frequently traveled to and stayed in Korea between 2010 and 2016."

At the time, A’s jet ski got stuck in the mudflats, and around 9:33 p.m., he requested rescue from the fire department on his own.

Denied Entry, Broke Incheon Airport Glass and Climbed Over Fence to Illegally Enter... Caught in Daejeon

Incheon Airport panorama. [Photo by Incheon International Airport Corporation]

In March, two Kazakhstani nationals, after being denied entry, broke the glass of the passenger terminal at Incheon Airport and escaped by climbing over the perimeter fence near the runway.

Kazakhstani nationals B and C arrived at Incheon Airport on March 24 but were denied entry by the Ministry of Justice’s Incheon Airport Immigration Office. While awaiting deportation in the departure waiting room of Terminal 2, they went down to the first floor, a secured area, broke the glass with a fire extinguisher, and fled.

C fled by taxi to Daejeon and was caught by police at a convenience store there after 16 hours. B turned off his phone and went into hiding but was apprehended three days later.

They stated, "We came to Korea to earn money."

"The Work at Sea is Hard... Planning to Request Repatriation at the Embassy" Bangladeshi Men Who Jumped into the Sea from a Cargo Ship

Bangladeshi nationals caught attempting to illegally enter the country by jumping off a cargo ship into the sea.
[Photo by Incheon Coast Guard]

On the 25th of last month, the Incheon Coast Guard arrested two Bangladeshi men in their 20s who attempted to illegally enter by jumping into the sea from a 4,900-ton cargo ship docked at Bukhang Pier in Seo-gu, Incheon.

They had arrived at Incheon North Port on the 23rd of last month aboard a Sierra Leone-flagged cargo ship and were scheduled to depart for China on the afternoon of the 27th.

During the Coast Guard investigation, they said, "The work at sea is very hard, and we want to return to Bangladesh, but the captain told us to continue working." They added, "We planned to visit the Bangladeshi embassy in Korea on land to ask to be sent back to our country."

12 km Straight Distance... Swam for 10 Hours from China to Taiwan

Beigandao, an outer island of Taiwan, located in the Huangqi Peninsula, Fujian Province, China. The straight-line distance according to Google Maps is over 12 km.
[Photo source=Google Maps capture]

There have been absurd cases of illegal entry not only into Korea but also abroad.

On the 24th of last month, a man in his 40s, Chinese national D, was found after swimming from Huangqi (黃岐) Peninsula in Fujian Province, China, to near Qinbi Village on Beigan Island (北竿島), one of the Matsu Islands in Taiwan.

According to the investigation, D stated that he swam for 10 hours from Huangqi Peninsula to Beigan Island "to find freedom." According to Google Maps, the straight-line distance from Huangqi Peninsula in Fujian Province to Beigan Island in the Matsu Islands is about 12 km.

D reportedly was stung by bees and in pain at the time and first asked tourists for help.