More than 20 Russians have travelled on yachts down the North Pacific coast to South Korea in an attempt to avoid being drafted into the military to fight in Ukraine, but the majority of them have been turned away, a South Korean politician said on Wednesday.
Since President Vladimir Putin ordered a partial mobilisation on September 21, there has been an exodus of men of conscription age from Russia, although the majority have escaped by land, sea, and air to Europe and nearby former Soviet Union nations like Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan
Since late September, 23 Russians have arrived in South Korea aboard four boats, but only two have been allowed to enter, according to a politician who cited data from the coast guard.
The others “were rejected because their purposes were unclear and they did not have sufficient documents,” the lawmaker said in a statement.
Two yachts left from the South Korean island of Ulleung and the southeastern port of Pohang on Tuesday with 15 Russians aboard, An said.
Two other yachts remained in Pohang, and one of them – left with just two Russians aboard after two gained entry – intended to make the long voyage to Thailand, the lawmaker added.
A justice ministry official said he did not have details about the yacht cases, but Russians are in general allowed to enter the country without a visa as long as they obtain prior approval via South Korea’s electronic travel authorisation system.