Koreans busted for illegal entry (Montana)

The Daily Inter Lake ^ | 11/16/2003 | Chery Sabol

[MontanaBeth]

Two men recently pleaded guilty to smuggling illegal aliens from Korea into the United States from Canada. The smuggling operation was busted in the Yaak area of Lincoln County in the northwest corner of Montana. Jae Kyun Jung, 29, pleaded guilty in federal court in Missoula last week to three charges--conspiracy to smuggle illegal aliens, smuggling illegal aliens and aiding and abetting smuggling.

Sang Bong Park pleaded guilty to conspiracy to smuggle illegal aliens and abetting smuggling. No age was given for Park.

Their arrests were the result of cooperation between the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection in Bonners Ferry, Idaho. The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

On Aug. 7, Canadian police contacted the Porthill Port of Entry near the Yaak area to say a possible alien smuggling operation was discovered in the Freeman Creek area of Canada.

The RCMP reported that 12 Koreans were illegally entering the United States near Garver Creek in Lincoln County.

U.S. border officials traveled to the Garver Creek/Pete Creek area. They reportedly saw a vehicle with no license plate which was registered in California to Park. The vehicle was 2 miles south of the Canadian border. The vehicle was put under surveillance while the area was searched. Border agents reportedly saw a Korean man in the driver's seat, putting on his sandals. He was identified as Park, who had a student visa. Park told the agent he was studying English in California. When asked why he was in such a remote area, Park said he was looking for his golden retriever, Tom.

He had no hiking equipment, survival gear, dog leash, dog food or any dog hair in his vehicle. A search found keys to a 2003 white Lincoln Town Car.

The Lincoln was found five miles south of the Pete Creek access road. Inside the Lincoln were wire money receipts in Park's name, indicating he had wired about $7,000 to someone in British Columbia.

Park was found to be illegallly present in the United States and was arrested.

On Aug. 8, border personnel apprehended 12 Koreans on the same path near Garver Creek, north of where Park was found. They were arrested and taken to the Bonners Ferry, Idaho office. When Jung was interviewed, he admitted he smuggled the aliens into the United States for money. Witnesses said Jung was the guide, or smuggler, for the group. Several said they paid $300 to $4,500 each to be brought in the U.S. from Canada.

One person said he went to the U.S. Consulate in Korea and visited various travel agencies outside the building there that promised travel and visas to the United States. He paid $1,000 to an agency in addition to airfare from Vancouver to Calgary. He went to Vancouver and then flew to Calgary, where he met Jung in a motel. He paid $3,500 to enter the United States.

Jung and Park face prison terms of 5-10 years on each charge, plus $250,000 fines and three years supervised release.

Chief U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy will sentence them Feb. 26. They were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kris McLean.

Reporter Chery Sabol may be reached at 758-4441 or by e-mail at csabol@dailyinterlake.com

[MontanaBeth]

My first post, hope I did it right. At the end of the article it says they would have three years supervised release after completion of their sentences. I guess that means they will be released and allowed to stay in the U.S.? Why don't we deport upon completion of jail sentence?

[PeteFromMontana]

Hello MontanaBeth, PeteFromMontana here. A recent "lurker turned poster" myself. Welcome to Free Republic. I am in the Flathead Valley, you?

[jocon307]

"Why don't we deport upon completion of jail sentence?"

Maybe we do, I'm not sure. But we should. We've got to stop ALL immigration NOW. We have not always, at all times, allowed unfettered immigration into our country. NOW would be a good time to stop. We need to focus on American citizens who are being failed by the communist teachers unions (actually that's an insult to communists - sorry commies, at least you believed in work!)and who are not getting jobs.

We need to re-establish coherence in our culture. We need to keep out Muslims bent on our destruction. If the whole world hates us so much, why are so many people trying to come here all the time? We need to not let them in, and focus on ourselves for a while, for about a generation, I reckon.

During that time these folks from around the world who allegedly want to come here "to do the jobs Americans won't do (for $2.00 an hour)" can strive for reform in their home countries. Maybe we can even help them do so.

Ted Kennedy has been trying to destroy this country for his entire life, his 1965 immigration reform act has accomplished much to that goal. It is time to end immigration, not mend it.

[MontanaBeth]

Kalispell, just been at FR since August, I'm sooo glad I found this site.

[PeteFromMontana]

It's very addicting Beth, I have been "lurking" for years, just started posting at the end of October. Nice to have a fellow Kalispellian here.

[MontanaBeth]

Agree with you.

[MontanaBeth]

Thank you PetefromMT. Nice to be here.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Nobody pointed it out yet (I believe) but these people could perhaps not be necessarily SOUTH Koreans.

But their modus operandu suggests they are from the R.O.K.

North Korea has been threatening the USA with massive retaliation--we only think in terms of them lobbing an ICBM our way--my sources in Seoul who are fiercely anti communist suggest we are ignoring another route: North Korean terrorist infiltrators with WMD dispatched to our major cities for blackmail.

[AmericanInTokyo]

To my above, will a small, backwater village in rural USA know the difference or endeavor to find out just where these dudes are from?

I'd recognize a North Korean-Pyongyang dialect of English quicker than "Jack Robinson" being said. Well, (Sorry Montana-ites), let's git some feds up there to thoroughly interrogate ASAP.

Not overkill to suggest we really follow up on this one. I recall N.K. terrorist-bomber Miss Kim Hyung Hee who was detained in Dubai, and they thought she was Japanese for several days....I have heard her "Japanese" language on TV (which she learned at spy school in P'yang) and it is clearly "Korean". The Dubai-ites never knew the difference until the Korean and Japanese embassy interrogators arrived on the scene.

[AmericanInTokyo]

PING

Check this out guys.

Overreaction on my part? Remember, the NKs got busted in California a few months ago for an illegal alien scam.

[MEG33]

Good first post!Welcome aboard.

[bert]

HMMMMM...... thanks for telling us.

[TrueBeliever9]

Good catch! The North Koreans have been working with Russians, Iranians and Palestinians in cell groups across America to further terrorist activities on American soil.

[TrueBeliever9]

Park told the agent he was studying English in California.

This has been the modus operandi of the Palestinians also. They have come in on student visas, supposedly to study English. They register, attend a few classes, then drop out of site. They are free to move about the country from safe house to safe house. And, some of the schools they are coming in to supposedly attend are small junior colleges and small colleges (e.g., KHALID SHAIKH MOHAMMED).

[AmericanInTokyo]

yep.

and thanks for noticing my little keyboard slip there

[gubamyster]

ping

[usurper]

Well, well. Montana Beth an appropriate Freeper name if ever there was one.

Say hi to Arni for me and tell him I will give him 5K for his mustang as is.

[Brian Allen]

Hi there. Thanks for your post and welcome to FR!!

You too, Pete!

Used to drive between my places in WA and CO a couple of times a month and to totally love getting $5.00 on-the-spot fines in Montanna for doing 95 on the Interstate.

Lotta great good common sense AND great physical beauty in your home.

Blessings -- Brian

[PeteFromMontana]

Brian, Feel free to come back anytime, the coffee is always on.


Unfortunately the times are changing, while we still have incomparable beauty to enjoy you had better slow down. The feds said get a speed limit or they would pull the funding for the highways.

[Brian Allen]

<< Good catch! The North Koreans have been working with Russians, Iranians and Palestinians in cell groups across America to further terrorist activities on American soil. >>

Thanks be to you two, for your insight.

Love your tag, AiT!

Best ones -- Brian