BANGKOK — The South Korean Embassy in Thailand has rejected online claims by a Thai woman who said she was unfairly denied entry to South Korea, saying her travel purpose was unclear and required documents were missing.
The embassy said media reports had cited a Thai civil servant who complained online that she was denied entry at Incheon International Airport despite being well prepared and without clear explanation.
After checking the case, the embassy said the Thai woman and another Thai female traveler had no hotel reservation upon arrival. When asked, they said they planned to stay at the home of a Korean boyfriend, but the man was not in South Korea at the time.
The embassy said the boyfriend’s mother, who was named as a contact in South Korea, was not aware of the women’s travel or their plan to stay.
Because the purpose of entry was unclear, immigration officials denied entry, the embassy said. It added that the questioning and explanation were conducted in Thai with a Thai interpreter present.
The embassy said some travelers who are denied entry later post false or incomplete information online, which can misrepresent South Korea’s immigration process. It warned that such distortions could cause unnecessary concern among Thai travelers and harm long-standing relations between Thailand and South Korea.