An aerial view of Jeju Port / Korea Times file

A visa-free entry system on Jeju Island, a resort island off the south coast of Korea, is increasingly being exploited as a loophole for illegal entry into the country, especially following the end of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The number of non-Korean nationals leaving the island without authorization, along with brokers facilitating their illegal entry, is increasing steadily. Non-Koreans entering Jeju Island via the visa-free system may stay without a visa for up to 30 days, but are generally not permitted to travel to the mainland, which is just 83 kilometers away.

According to the Jeju Coast Guard, there were seven cases of unauthorized attempts to reach the mainland in 2024 involving individuals who entered Jeju Island through its visa-free entry system.

A total of 18 people, including foreign nationals and Korean brokers, have been caught, while authorities believe many more have evaded detection. Among them, eight were Chinese, one was Vietnamese, five were Indonesian and four were Korean brokers accused of facilitating the illegal departures. Sixteen of the suspects have been arrested.

The number of such cases surged compared to 2023, when only two incidents were reported, leading to the arrest of four individuals.

In recent years, there have been growing concerns about foreign nationals abusing visa systems in other Northeast Asian countries like Japan. According to Japan's immigration statistics, nearly 150,000 foreign nationals overstayed their visas in 2020, with a significant number entering on short-term tourist visas and then staying in the country illegally. In 2020, Korea reported around 80,000 foreign nationals overstaying their visas, with many entering on short-term tourist visas and staying illegally, according to the Korea Immigration Service.

Jeju Island implemented a visa-free entry system to promote tourism, allowing travelers from 111 countries to stay for up to 30 days without a visa, with the goal of boosting tourism. The program was temporarily suspended in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic but began to be gradually reinstated in April 2023.

However, authorities have noted a growing number of cases where individuals exploit the policy to leave the island illegally to enter the mainland and engage in illegal activities such as unauthorized employment.

Many are using ports, where inspections are less stringent than at airports, to evade detection. Police warn that these methods are becoming increasingly sophisticated.

A Vietnamese woman is hiding under the back seat of a car and got caught by police at Jeju Port, Jan. 15. Courtesy of Jeju Coast Guard

On Jan. 15 this year, police arrested 11 Vietnamese nationals attempting to depart Jeju Island for the mainland, along with a Korean broker who helped them.

The group — seven men and four women — was caught hiding inside a 5-ton cargo truck at Pier 6 of Jeju Port, attempting to board a ship bound for Wando, an island county in southwestern Korea. Investigators believe they entered Jeju under the visa-free entry system with the intention of working in other parts of Korea.

Many unauthorized departures follow a similar pattern, with individuals concealing themselves in vans or trucks to evade detection. Some hide inside cargo trucks carrying tangerines from Jeju, while others endure long periods inside freezer truck iceboxes to avoid detection.

The brokers receive a fee of around 2.5 million won ($1,746) per person from the visitors, often lowering the fee through negotiations when facilitating group departures. They have been profiting from these illegal activities by arranging unauthorized exits.

An official at the Jeju Coast Guard reported that the number of illegal movements by non-Koreans entering Jeju visa-free has been rising since last year. The crimes are becoming more sophisticated and organized, involving transportation networks, mediation groups and overseas brokers.

In response, authorities plan to intensify their crackdown on maritime border crimes by analyzing evolving patterns. Police have also urged the public to report any suspicious ships or vehicles related to visa violations to nearby coast guards, immigration offices or maritime fisheries management teams.