A recent incident involving an Indian content creator – Sachin Awasthi – who in a now-viral video claimed to be detained on South Korea’s Jeju Island – has sparked a warning from the Indian Embassy in Seoul, which has listed documents to carry when trying to enter the South Korean island province.
In a video shared on his Instagram and YouTube pages on Sunday, Sachin Awasthi claimed that he had a “traumatic” experience upon landing at Jeju Island’s airport. He said he and his wife were taken to what appeared to be a “detention center.”
“There was no sunlight, no glass to drink water…it looked like a prison barracks…”, Awasthi said in the video, also adding that someone was abused there and told him: “I hope you died in that cell, you will take your last breath in Korea.”
Travel tips in India
Days after the video went viral on social media, raising concerns, the Indian Embassy in Seoul said in an advisory that it “hears of harassment caused to Indian travelers or denial of entry/repatriation upon arrival at Jeju Island, Republic of Korea under the visa exemption regime for travel to Jeju Island.”
The waiver allows Indians short-term tourist access to Jeju without a pre-arranged visa, but prohibits travel to mainland Korea. “Entry under the Jeju facility without a visa is permitted exclusively for short-term tourism. Final admission to the Republic of Korea is determined only by the immigration authorities at Jeju International Airport in accordance with Korean law. The visa exemption regime does not guarantee entry,” the Indian Embassy said.
To reduce such harassment, the embassy said that Indian citizens planning to visit Jeju Island under the same scheme must mandatorily carry the following documents:
All travelers must carry printed copies (not just mobile phone screenshots):
Confirmed return flight ticket
Hotel reservation covers the entire stay
Detailed itinerary (daily plan)
Proof of sufficient funds (recent bank statements/international cards/forex)
A passport valid for at least 6 months
Travel insurance (highly recommended)
Accommodation contact details
She added that passengers who are unable to clearly explain their travel plan may risk being denied entry.
“Financial preparedness”
The advisory stated that travelers should be able to demonstrate sufficient financial capacity for the duration of the stay including daily expenses, payment for accommodation and transport arrangements.
“Immigration authorities may ask relevant questions to which visitors will expect answers consistent with tourism objectives,” she added.
Immigration interview
Upon arrival, immigration officers can conduct an interview. Please answer clearly, honestly and consistently while remaining calm and cooperative. Moreover, learn about the itinerary and accommodation details. Failure to satisfy an immigration officer may result in refusal of entry.
“Please understand the terms of the Visa Waiver Program. The Jeju Visa Waiver does not permit travel to mainland Korea. Attempting to leave Jeju for mainland Korea without a visa is illegal. Overstaying or unauthorized activity may result in a future travel ban,” the warning reads.
She added that if entry is denied, the passenger will be returned on the next available flight of the same airline. Under this situation, and depending on flight schedules, temporary accommodation in a holding facility may be required.
It added that the Embassy of India in Seoul is not in a position to overturn the decisions of the ROK Immigration Authority regarding matters relating to entry into the ROK. “It will seek assistance from the ROK authorities in providing reasonable support to the Indian nationals at the detention facility. Indian nationals can contact the consular wing of the embassy through the designated telephone numbers.”
The advisory mentioned contact details – +82-2-792-4257, extension 407 (operator) during business hours; Designated email address, cons.seoul@mea.gov.in; Emergency contact number: 010-9356-4188 – which Indian citizens can use in case of immigration issues.
Awasthi’s Instagram video was captioned: “Detained for 38 hours in South Korea (Jeju Island) and China.”
“We landed on Jeju Island, South Korea, excited and ready for our trip. Within a few hours, everything changed. We were denied entry and taken to a holding area. With no proper explanation, we were told to wait. And we waited,” the message read.
“Hours passed without clarity. They kept us in their detention center (it was similar to a prison with no sunlight and no access to the outside) and also gave us food in the prison.
No one told us what would happen. They blackmailed us to book a really expensive return ticket.
Later, while in transit through China, it continued. More waiting. More supervision. Communications were restricted. No phone use, no food and limited water. Sleeping conditions were worse. Even using the bathrooms was monitored by a police official who had a camera and went with us to the bathroom.
By the time we were told we would be sent back, we were mentally exhausted. A return ticket costs about 10 times the normal price. At that moment, we didn’t have the energy to argue. We just wanted to get out safely.
I’m not sharing this for sympathy or drama. Immigration decisions are their authority. But they had no right to treat us like criminals.
Traveling seems magical on the Internet. But sometimes, things change in just a few hours and test you emotionally in ways you never expected.
I shared the full detailed story on my YouTube channel, what happened, why it happened and what you should know before travelling.”
