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Indonesian man who jumped off ship and swam to Korea sentenced to 6 months for illegal entry

Published: 21 Nov. 2025, 11:51

The Busan District Court's western branch in Gangseo District, Busan is seen in this 2020 file photo. [YONHAP]

An Indonesian man who jumped off a ship near Busan and swam for two and a half hours to illegally enter Korea has been sentenced to prison.

The Busan District Court said Thursday that it sentenced the man to six months in prison for violating the Immigration Act.

He was indicted for illegally entering Korea by swimming in the waters near Namhangdaegyo in Seo District, Busan, at around 6 a.m. on Aug. 8.

The man jumped into the sea from the rear of a Komodo-registered vessel anchored in the outer port area of Busan and swam for about two hours and 30 minutes while holding onto a rope, according to the court.

Authorities found that he had previously stayed in Korea illegally. He was granted landing permission in July 2014 as a crew member of a Panama-registered ship but overstayed until March 2016, when he was deported.

“The defendant’s conduct is serious, as he evaded immigration screening to enter the country illegally,” said the court, noting that the man appeared to have carried out the offense in a planned manner, including communicating in advance with accomplices who would assist him after entering Korea.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY HYEON YE-SEUL [[email protected]]