31 Chinese nationals apprehended for illegal entry into South Korea

More than 30 Chinese nationals have been apprehended for illegally entering South Korea via the west coast in Taean over the past eight years, the Coast Guard announced Monday.

From September 2019 through May 2026, 31 Chinese nationals were caught in waters off Taean County or its beaches, located more than 100 kilometers southwest of Seoul. The Coast Guard officials stated that 25 of these individuals had previously worked in South Korea, were deported for illegal stays, and attempted to re-enter the country illegally because they lacked legal means to return home.

In one instance in September 2019, three Chinese nationals were caught after arriving near a Taean beach on a rubber boat. Another eight were apprehended last year after arriving in the county aboard a 4.3-meter-long boat. The most recent incident occurred on May 25, 2026, when Dong Guangping, a Chinese dissident who had been jailed multiple times in China, was apprehended attempting illegal entry off Taean. This marked the seventh such attempt by Chinese nationals along the coast since late 2019. Dong was later permitted to leave South Korea and reportedly arrived in Canada in June.

Officials noted that most illegal entry attempts occurred between April and May or September and October, coinciding with periods of calmer seas that facilitate navigation.