TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - An Indonesian citizen went missing during a guided tour in South Korea. According to travel agency Berani Backpacker, Femas Yani Arianto, 22, a resident from Malang, East Java, separated himself from his group during the first night of the trip on Sunday, June 28, 2026.
Berani Backpacker's owner, Fariz Ragil Ramadhani, said before going missing, Femas' activities with the tour group went smoothly. He even took a photo wearing a hanbok, traditional South Korean clothing, with the rest of the group.
In the evening, tour participants were free to shop in Myeongdong, a bustling shopping hub in the heart of Seoul, under tour leader supervision.
The travel agency became aware of Femas's absence after the young man separated himself from the group with the excuse of purchasing footwear. "However, by the appointed time, he failed to show up to the group meeting point and could not be contacted," he said.
The travel agency then reported the incident to the local immigration authorities in South Korea, as well as attempting to report the incident to the local police. "However, the report was denied in accordance with local regulations and procedures."
According to Dhani, the travel agency had implemented strict screening procedures prior to departure, including in-person interview and visa verification.
Not a rarity
According to Dhani, the misuse of tourist visas for illegal settlement by separating oneself from a tour group has been a common occurrence.
"To be honest, this kind of method is quite common. However, many travel agencies have opted to handle it internally, so not many cases have been exposed to the public," said Dhani when contacted on Sunday, July 19, 2026.
Dhani shared the incident involving Femas through his Threads account, @sarjanabackpacker, which received considerable attention from netizens. After that, Dhani claimed to have been contacted by Indonesian citizens living or having lived in South Korea.
Based on the information he received, it was revealed that there are Indonesian communities in certain areas that often become gathering places for illegal workers. These communities allegedly facilitate "overstayers" to blend in, seek employment, and move from place to place.
"These pieces of information have been forwarded to authorities," said Dhani.
According to Dhani, Femas' act of disappearance was triggered by the lure of instant cash by exploiting the loophole in tourist visas to work illegally in the destination country, such as South Korea.
"They may have only seen the opportunity for higher income, but often overlook the risks. A tourist visa is intended for vacation, not for work," he said.
Dhani cautioned that visa overstays and working without the appropriate documents carry severe legal consequences for the perpetrators, ranging from deportation to being blacklisted.
He emphasized that this irresponsible act could also harm travel agents and visa operators, and even tighten the visa application process for genuine Indonesian tourists.
Read: Bali Immigration Deports 342 Foreign Nationals Over Permit Violations
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