Koreans arrested for breaching permits

JAKARTA (JP): The immigration office has arrested two South Koreans for allegedly violating their permits, an official said yesterday.

The office's director for supervision and control, Zaiman Nurmatias, said Sim Jae Yong and his brother Sung Yun Kim had worked at a karaoke house as the chief executive and manager respectively, in contravention of their limited stay permit cards (Kitas) which listed their occupations as the cook and manager of a restaurant.

And Sim had also violated a business permit issued by the city municipality by running a karaoke house instead of restaurant, he said.

"The two men, who were apprehended last Friday, are still being questioned."

Zaiman said employees of Piala Dunia karaoke house in Kebon Kacang area, Central Jakarta, lodged a complaint with the immigration office about the foreigners' activities.

In the report, the employees said their two Korean bosses often beat them and fired staff without providing clear reasons.

The suspects even failed to pay the employees their bonuses in December as they had earlier promised, Zaiman quoted the employees as saying.

The employees also informed the immigration office that the South Koreans opened the karaoke house on Dec. 30 and Dec. 31 despite the city governor's prohibition on all entertainment spots during the first days of the Moslem Ramadhan fasting month, he said.

During interrogation, Sim admitted that the property was 85 percent owned by him and the remaining 15 percent stake by another South Korean.

Zaiman said Sim and Sung have violated Article 50 of Law No. 9/1992 on immigration which carries a maximum penalty of five years in jail and fines of Rp 25 million. (jun)