Indian man alleges abuse by Korean immigration officers during deportation

An Indian national has accused immigration officers of subjecting him to physical abuse, including covering his mouth with duct tape and choking him during his deportation, a lawmaker revealed Thursday.

Rep. Park Eun-jung of the Rebuilding Korea Party disclosed bodycam footage and related documents obtained from the Ministry of Justice during a parliamentary audit. It was also revealed that the victim's legal representative has filed a complaint with the National Human Rights Commission of Korea on Oct. 2.

The incident occurred on Aug. 27, when officers at the Hwaseong Immigration Detention Center in Gyeonggi Province attempted to deport the Indian man, who had been held at the facility for about eight months.

The man, who had reportedly been told that he would be transferred to another room for safety reasons, was instead presented with documents notifying him that his earlier application for temporary release from detention had been rejected. He had already packed his belongings.

He reportedly received no answers to his questions about filing an objection or applying for refugee status.

During his transfer to the airport, immigration officers allegedly sealed his mouth with duct tape and placed a ski mask over his head to conceal the tape.

He claimed that officers slapped and choked him before he was placed aboard the plane. He was allegedly denied access to a lawyer and his family, while his smartphone was returned only after he arrived in India.

The bodycam footage released by Park appears to show an officer restraining the man by the neck, even as he repeatedly said, "I go myself" and "I will not fight."

Officers can also be heard telling him to "stop talking," while pushing down on his shoulder.

Park cited a previous court ruling that found the use of cable ties and packing tape as restraints lacked a legal basis, arguing that using duct tape could also be unlawful.

"They sealed the victim's mouth with duct tape, which has even stronger adhesive properties than ordinary packing tape," Park said.

Asked by Park whether such measures were permitted under official guidelines, acting Justice Minister Lee Jin-soo acknowledged that duct tape was not designated as an authorized restraint device.

"That tape is not classified as an authorized restraint device, and using it in that manner to forcibly deport someone was clearly wrong," Lee said.