100 Vietnamese go AWOL in South Korea: foreign ministry

The Vietnamese traveled through the Yangyang International Airport, spokeswoman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang said Tuesday.

She was responding to inquiries regarding Vietnamese that have gone “missing” in South Korea. The fact that contact with these people was lost prompted relevant travel agencies to suspend bringing tourists to Yangyang Island of Gangwon Province until the end of October 31.

Hang said the Vietnamese Embassy in South Korea would continue to keep in touch with South Korean authorities, help with the search and be ready to deploy citizen protection measures if needed.

Vietnamese authorities and tourism companies would also cooperate to find out information about those whose contact was lost, as well as deploying measures to prevent citizens from illegally staying in South Korea through tourism.

The visa-free program for Vietnamese tourists coming to the Yangyang Airport and the Jeju Island has been resumed starting June 1. Tourist groups with at least five people can sign up to travel through certain tourism agencies visa-free, with a maximum duration of stay of 15 days.