South Korea’s embassy in Thailand explains why a Thai civil servant was denied entry at Incheon, citing unclear travel purpose and accommodation issues.
The Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Thailand has issued a statement addressing media reports and online discussion surrounding a Thai female civil servant who said she was denied entry to South Korea at Incheon International Airport despite having complete documents.
In its clarification, the embassy said some media outlets reported that the traveller had a clear itinerary but was not allowed to enter and was not given a clear explanation for the decision.
However, after checking the facts, the embassy said the Thai national believed to be involved, along with another Thai woman travelling with her, had not booked any accommodation (hotel) when they arrived in South Korea.
When asked why there was no hotel booking, the two women reportedly said they planned to stay at the home of a Korean boyfriend. The embassy said the person claimed to be the boyfriend was not in South Korea at the time.
The embassy added that the man’s mother, who was identified as the contact in South Korea, had not been informed in advance about the women’s travel plans or their intention to stay at the house.
Because the purpose of the trip was unclear, the immigration authorities decided not to allow entry, the embassy said. It added that the questioning was conducted in Thai with a Thai interpreter present, and that the reasons for refusing entry were explained in Thai.
The embassy also said there have been cases in which people denied entry to South Korea later posted false information online or omitted key facts that they felt put them at a disadvantage, leading to South Korea’s immigration procedures being portrayed negatively.
It cited past claims that travellers were refused entry for being unable to answer questions such as the “colour of the wallpaper in a hotel room” or the “number of trees in a hotel”, but said checks found no such questions were asked during immigration screening.
The embassy warned that concealing or distorting facts can contribute to misinformation, causing unnecessary concern among Thais planning to travel to South Korea and potentially harming the long-standing relationship between the two countries.
It urged the public to be cautious when consuming or sharing information from unverified sources.