South Korea Expels Norbert Vollertsen
Here is the full text of Norbert’s e-mail:
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I finally got my exit order to leave South Korea before June 4. I will head to Tokyo in order to continue my activities regarding North Korean Human right abuses speaking to journalists, politicians, human rights activists and the family members of the abductees there – what I was no longer allowed to do in North Korea and now also in South Korea.
After several speeches here in South Korea about human rights in North Korea I was barred from reentering South Korea at Busan Port in November 2004. I complained about this and did not want to get sent back to Shimonoseki in Japan where I cam from by ferry. Afterwards I was detained in the immigration office there at Pusan harbour for around 10 hours without being allowed to call the German embassy, my family, some friends or, of course journalists.
The officials there – sometimes up to 10 people discussed the whole matter endlessly with their senior colleagues and afterwards confronted me with some written documents where I should confess that I violated the immigration law with my political activities. Most important they wanted me to sign a document – like back in Pyongyang. . . . And like back in Pyongyang I refused to do so. . . .
By chance – when none of the more and more upset officials was in the room I managed to figure out how to make an outside phone-call and contactet Donald Macintyre from “Time”. He arranged to get a “Chosun Ilbo”- journalist to the immigration office in Pusan and only when this happened I was allowed to enter the country without signing any document but with a written “notice” that I am not allowed to engage in any political activities as a foreigner.
In December 2004 and Jan. 2005 I kept a rather low profile mainly because of the holiday season and then because of a sudden shift of my attention to the medical emergency crisis in the Indian Ocean because of the Tsunami. I joined the KMA in order to give medical assistance in Band Aceh/ Indonesia and when I returned to South Korea I got the same “notice” again but was allowed to reenter the country at Incheon-airport mainly because we were followed by foreign journalists and our trip was widely covered.
On March 1, March 19 and March 20 I engaged again in “political activities” regarding North Korean human rights. Being a German I thought it was still my duty to continue to speak out against any crimes against humanity after the Holocaust-shame in my grandparents generation.
When my visa expired on April 15 I refused to get out again to Japan for a “visa-trip” because I was afraid that I might get barred on the way back and that this time there might be no new chance for some “journalists emergency call”.
On May 20, 2005 I was summoned to the Immigration office for violating the immigration law. When I turned up there at 1:00 PM I was again held by nearly six hours, questioned and pressured to sign a document which mentioned the three incidents that I violated the immigration law with politcal speeches on March 1,19, and 20. Again I refused to sign any document but told them that I was documenting the whole discussion and everything what was discussed should be in the newspapers of tomorrow . . . at around 6:30 I was released without signing anything but with an “exit notice” that I have to leave the country latest on June 4, 2005 and that I have to pay 200,000 Won as a penalty for overstaying.
The official finally told me that of course I am allowed to reenter South Korea but not with a tourist visa because of my activities but rather when I ask to apply for some “political visa” but of course foreigners are not allowed to engage in any political activities in South Korea, of course . . . .
Norbert Vollertsen
Seoul
June 3, 2005