TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has spoken about the Indonesian citizen from Madiun who is suspected to have escaped during a tour in South Korea. Heni Hamidah, the ministry's director of Indonesian Citizen Protection, said the government honors South Korea's jurisdiction in handling immigration breaches.
"We respect the process being carried out by the local authorities and will provide consular support if needed in accordance with the applicable local laws," said Heni when contacted on Monday, July 20, 2026.
Nevertheless, Heni ensured that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is following up on the rampant abuse of visa-free group tour facilities for illegal work. Through the Indonesian Embassy in Seoul, the ministry is now taking diplomatic measures with the South Korean government to anticipate the increasing trend of immigration violations by Indonesian citizens.
"In anticipation of the growing trend, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the Indonesian Embassy in Seoul is coordinating with the South Korean Government via diplomatic channels," she said.
Heni stated that her side is working closely with South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the South Korean Embassy in Jakarta to crack down on residence permit misuse potential.
Previously, the story of Femas Yani Arianto, an Indonesian citizen from Madiun, East Java, who is suspected to have separated from the tour group in South Korea went viral on social media. The owner of the travel agency Berani Backpacker shared the story through the Threads @sarjanabackpacker account.
The owner of Berani Backpacker, Fariz Ragil Ramadhani alias Dhani, said Femas disappeared on the first night of the trip, Sunday, June 28, 2026. According to him, Femas had asked for permission from the tour leader to buy shoes before separating from the group.
"However, until the specified time, the participant did not return to the group meeting point and could not be contacted," said Dhani on Sunday, July 19, 2026.
The travel agency then reported the incident to the South Korean immigration authorities. They also tried to report it to the local police, albeit it was rejected since it was deemed an "administrative immigration violation" and not "a general criminal case."
Later, Dhani revealed that Femas's whereabouts had actually been identified since the first day the case went viral on social media. Based on the information he received, Femas had been at the Islam Korea Ansan Mosque in the Danwon area, Ansan City, Gyeonggi-do Province.
However, according to Dhani, Femas flee due to a slow response from authorities. According to the latest information, Femas is suspected to have moved to a goshiwon, a small-sized rented accommodation commonly found in South Korea. Nevertheless, the travel agency has not been able to confirm Femas' current location.
Read: How a Missing Traveler in South Korea Spark Illegal Stay Chatter
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