An immigration official linked to the forced repatriation of Uzbek students by Hanshin University last November was suspended from duty recently, according to the Ministry of Justice. The official is under investigation for allegedly accepting bribes from university officials in exchange for issuing visas to unqualified students.
The latest developments suggest that the official at the Korea Immigration Service may have played a key role in the visa issues that ultimately led to the forced return of the 22 Uzbek students.
The official, whose identity remains undisclosed, is suspected of accepting meals, drinks, and entertainment from university staff in exchange for issuing entry visas to Uzbek students who did not meet the required criteria.
According to police, these alleged exchanges between Hanshin University employees and the immigration official took place approximately 10 times, starting in May 2023. At that time, the official served as the head of the Pyeongtaek branch of the Suwon 추천 Immigration Office in Gyeonggi Province, which handles visa matters for foreign students at Hanshin University in Osan in the same province. The Uzbek students were issued entry visas for the fall semester beginning in September that year.
“As part of a regular personnel reshuffle on Jan. 15 this year, the official was removed from duties related to foreign residents and visa matters. He was officially suspended from duty as of May 8,” the justice ministry told The Korea Times, Friday.
The official’s suspension came two weeks before he was referred to prosecutors on May 21 on charges of violating anti-graft laws and abusing his authority. The ministry said that it became aware of the official’s alleged involvement in the case in December of last year.
The suspension of a public official is a disciplinary measure generally applied in cases of ethical or legal misconduct, or when the individual is facing criminal charges.
The revelation that the immigration official allegedly received bribes from Hanshin University — and was subsequently suspended amid the ongoing investigation — adds significant weight to the Uzbek students’ claims that they were wrongfully accused of violating visa regulations.