Indian content creator Sachin Awasthi said he was detained by immigration authorities in South Korea and China while traveling with his wife.Awasti posted on Instagram describing his 38-hour detention in Jeju Island, South Korea. He said the couple was denied entry and taken to a waiting area without any clear explanation. “Without proper explanation, we were simply told to wait. We waited,” he wrote. He added that the detention center is like a prison, with no sunlight or opportunities for contact with the outside world, and they only eat prison food. Awasti said authorities pressured them to book an expensive return ticket.The ordeal continued while in transit through China, with communications restricted, food and water restricted and bathroom use monitored, he said. “We were mentally exhausted when we were told we were being deported. The price of a return ticket was almost 10 times the normal price,” he said.Avasti clarified that he was not sharing the story to gain sympathy or to be dramatic. “Immigration decisions are their prerogative. But they do not have any right to treat us like criminals,” he wrote. Travel may look glamorous online, but it can test people’s emotions in unexpected ways, he added.He also said he had posted the full and detailed story on his YouTube channel, explaining what happened, why and advice for travelers.
Social media reaction:
- Weak passports have nothing to do with this. How poorly they are treated by immigration and airlines in Jeju and China. The entire video is heart-wrenching.
- For those who haven’t watched the video, please watch it. It’s so painful. You can’t get the full intensity and seriousness of it from this photo.
- I’m glad you’re all safe. This is a deep-rooted issue that needs to be discussed. Tay shared.
- Oh my God! This is terrible. I don’t understand the reason behind this.
- This is not new and many travelers are facing these things nowadays.
