Russian nationals who were denied entry into Korea by the immigration office enter the port of Pohang temporarily before departing, Tuesday. Courtesy of Rep. An Ho-young

By Lee Yeon-woo

After Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a partial mobilization on Sept. 21, resulting in an estimated 200,000 Russian nationals fleeing Russia for other countries, some of them have attempted to enter Korea on yachts.

According to Rep. An Ho-young of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), five foreign yachts were spotted in Korean waters from Oct. 1 to Oct. 5. Four of the yachts which were carrying 23 Russians sought to enter via Korean ports while the fifth yacht continued on its course.

Twenty-two of those aboard were men in their 20s and 30s.

They reportedly asked the immigration office for permission to enter Korea, but 21 of them ― except two who had previous records of entering Korea ― were denied entry as their purpose of visit is unclear. They also had no travel documentation.

A yacht carrying 10 Russian nationals was first spotted on Oct. 1 near the port of Busan. As the immigration office denied them entry, they left on Oct. 11 after entering the port of Pohang temporarily.

On the same day, another yacht carrying five Russian nationals tried to enter the port of Sokcho, Gangwon Province, but their entry was also denied. Two yachts each carrying four Russians also approached the port of Pohang but only two of those aboard were permitted to enter Korea.

"We denied them entry to Korea because their purpose for entry was unclear and related documents were insufficient. We permitted some to enter as we thought they fit our standards. It is hard to share any further details," an official from the Ministry of Justice said.

The Ministry of Justice also declined to comment on whether they had asked for refugee status.

It is known that Putin's announcement of a "partial" mobilization to call up 300,000 men sparked the exodus of tens of thousands of Russian nationals ― mostly men ― from the country. He signed a decree to bolster his forces in Ukraine, but the move sparked huge opposition across the country.

According to The Guardian newspaper, "Eight Russian yachtsmen departed from the far eastern city of Vladivostok and sailed to South Korea," citing BBC News' Russian service. It is yet to be confirmed whether the yacht the men were aboard was among those seen in or close to Korea waters.

"There is a high possibility that Korea will become a de facto stopover if there is an increase in the number of Russians fleeing. We need to prepare a detailed response manual that takes into account such diplomatic and human rights issues," Ahn said.