http://www.canada.com/calgary/calgaryherald/story.asp?id=25BE5162-19D9-406D-8A0B-52D3FB59CC85
Korean man in custody claims refugee status
One of 12 caught at U.S. border
Kerry Williamson
Calgary Herald
Friday, February 27, 2004
One of 12 South Koreans caught allegedly trying to illegally cross the Canada-U.S. border Sunday night is now asking to stay in this country, even as five of his group prepare to be sent back to Asia.
The man, whose name has not been released, appeared at a behind-closed-doors immigration and refugee hearing Thursday afternoon.
It is understood he is seeking refugee status and now wants to stay in a country he arrived in just a week ago, allegedly with the sole intention of illegally walking into the United States.
"Of the two cases scheduled for the afternoon, one was adjourned and the other was held in camera and I cannot comment on it," said Robert Ferguson, a spokesman for Canada Border Services Agency.
The man is one of 10 people found in a Vulcan motel room early Monday morning, hours after they were spotted attempting to cross the border near the Coutts-Sweetgrass crossing in southern Alberta.
Some of them have admitted paying a "substantial amount" to professional human smugglers.
Two other men were caught on either side of the border.
They are believed to be "snakeheads" or smuggling guides. One of them had night-vision goggles, and apparently alerted the group after spotting U.S. border guards moving towards them.
Heung Gyu Kim, 29, appeared in a Great Falls, Mont., court Tuesday, pleading not guilty to illegally entering the U.S. He will appear again in April. The other man, a 10-year resident of B.C., is free but is being investigated by the RCMP.
Five people -- Yu Ri Ha, 25, Yong Goo Kim, 37, Gil Weon Park, 35, Kye Ok Ryu, 21, and So Jung Kim, 31 -- will be sent home within the next week, at a cost of about $1,300 each, a tab picked up by Immigration Canada. They will be banned from Canada for two years.
They admitted flying into Vancouver on or around Feb. 17 with the sole intention of then illegally crossing into the U.S. They arrived as visitors -- South Koreans do not need visas to enter this country.
"We will try and make travel arrangements as soon as possible," Ferguson said of their exclusion from Canada. "I would expect it will happen within the next day."
Four others have had their hearings adjourned until next week. Three -- Youn Hye Lim, 29, and Jeung Hee Kim, 29, and Yeon Woon Song, 26 -- are seeking legal counsel, while immigration officials are still trying to determine their identities.
Their fingerprints and photographs will be checked against the police and refugee databanks. Interpol has also been contacted. They will be detained at the Calgary Remand Centre until their hearings are complete.
Paul Kyba, a member of the immigration division of the Immigration and Refugee Board who adjudicated all five hearings Wednesday and Thursday, said immigration officers believed the South Koreans had misrepresented intentions to customs officials when landing in Vancouver.
"The officer that wrote the report believed that you were untruthful at the time you came to Canada," Kyba told Kim and Lim, who wore purple Calgary Remand Centre tracksuits, shackles around their ankles and shielded their faces through much of their hearing.
"About the reason for which you came to this country, you told the officer at the point of entry that you came to Canada to be tourists in this country. But in fact, that was not the entire truth.
"It's our belief that you came to Canada solely for the reason of gaining access to the United States."
Daniel Kwang, the president of the Calgary Korean Society, attempted to speak to some of the South Koreans at the Harry Hays building Thursday.
He questioned why they were in shackles, and said they are "not criminals."
"What they did is a wrong thing, but they are not criminals," he said. "I don't know if they need to be treated this way. I think they have been very poorly treated here, and that has been another shock for them.
"They are young people, they are not going to escape from here. Why are they wearing all this stuff?"
Kwang said he is concerned for the group's welfare.
"They feel scared. What they are going through, they are very embarrassed."
kwilliamson@theherald.canwest.com
© Copyright 2004 Calgary Herald
http://www.canada.com/calgary/calgaryherald/story.asp?id=25BE5162-19D9-406D-8A0B-52D3FB59CC85
Korean man in custody claims refugee status
One of 12 caught at U.S. border
Kerry Williamson
Calgary Herald
Friday, February 27, 2004
 |
Bound for Hearing: South Koreans who allegedly tried to illegally enter the U.S. were shackled to Thursday's immigration hearing in Calgary. |
 |
A woman, one of the South Koreans in custody, tries to hide behind paper at Thursday's immigration hearing. |
CREDIT: Colleen Kidd, Calgary Herald |
 |
Two of 10 South Koreans read papers sending them home during an immigration hearing Thursday in Calgary. |
One of 12 South Koreans caught allegedly trying to illegally cross the Canada-U.S. border Sunday night is now asking to stay in this country, even as five of his group prepare to be sent back to Asia.
The man, whose name has not been released, appeared at a behind-closed-doors immigration and refugee hearing Thursday afternoon.
It is understood he is seeking refugee status and now wants to stay in a country he arrived in just a week ago, allegedly with the sole intention of illegally walking into the United States.
"Of the two cases scheduled for the afternoon, one was adjourned and the other was held in camera and I cannot comment on it," said Robert Ferguson, a spokesman for Canada Border Services Agency.
The man is one of 10 people found in a Vulcan motel room early Monday morning, hours after they were spotted attempting to cross the border near the Coutts-Sweetgrass crossing in southern Alberta.
Some of them have admitted paying a "substantial amount" to professional human smugglers.
Two other men were caught on either side of the border.
They are believed to be "snakeheads" or smuggling guides. One of them had night-vision goggles, and apparently alerted the group after spotting U.S. border guards moving towards them.
Heung Gyu Kim, 29, appeared in a Great Falls, Mont., court Tuesday, pleading not guilty to illegally entering the U.S. He will appear again in April. The other man, a 10-year resident of B.C., is free but is being investigated by the RCMP.
Five people -- Yu Ri Ha, 25, Yong Goo Kim, 37, Gil Weon Park, 35, Kye Ok Ryu, 21, and So Jung Kim, 31 -- will be sent home within the next week, at a cost of about $1,300 each, a tab picked up by Immigration Canada. They will be banned from Canada for two years.
They admitted flying into Vancouver on or around Feb. 17 with the sole intention of then illegally crossing into the U.S. They arrived as visitors -- South Koreans do not need visas to enter this country.
"We will try and make travel arrangements as soon as possible," Ferguson said of their exclusion from Canada. "I would expect it will happen within the next day."
Four others have had their hearings adjourned until next week. Three -- Youn Hye Lim, 29, and Jeung Hee Kim, 29, and Yeon Woon Song, 26 -- are seeking legal counsel, while immigration officials are still trying to determine their identities.
Their fingerprints and photographs will be checked against the police and refugee databanks. Interpol has also been contacted. They will be detained at the Calgary Remand Centre until their hearings are complete.
Paul Kyba, a member of the immigration division of the Immigration and Refugee Board who adjudicated all five hearings Wednesday and Thursday, said immigration officers believed the South Koreans had misrepresented intentions to customs officials when landing in Vancouver.
"The officer that wrote the report believed that you were untruthful at the time you came to Canada," Kyba told Kim and Lim, who wore purple Calgary Remand Centre tracksuits, shackles around their ankles and shielded their faces through much of their hearing.
"About the reason for which you came to this country, you told the officer at the point of entry that you came to Canada to be tourists in this country. But in fact, that was not the entire truth.
"It's our belief that you came to Canada solely for the reason of gaining access to the United States."
Daniel Kwang, the president of the Calgary Korean Society, attempted to speak to some of the South Koreans at the Harry Hays building Thursday.
He questioned why they were in shackles, and said they are "not criminals."
"What they did is a wrong thing, but they are not criminals," he said. "I don't know if they need to be treated this way. I think they have been very poorly treated here, and that has been another shock for them.
"They are young people, they are not going to escape from here. Why are they wearing all this stuff?"
Kwang said he is concerned for the group's welfare.
"They feel scared. What they are going through, they are very embarrassed."
kwilliamson@theherald.canwest.com
© Copyright 2004 Calgary Herald
http://www.canada.com/calgary/calgaryherald/story.asp?id=25BE5162-19D9-406D-8A0B-52D3FB59CC85