I bought a round-trip ticket from South Korea to Hong Kong.
Flying from Korea to Hong Kong was all good, I had a nice holiday. Before 48 hours going back to Korea, I selected my seat, checked-in online and I got issued a boarding pass.
On the way back in the airport, I went through security and immigration, everything is great, and when I was about the board the flight, they asked me to show an onward travel proof of Korea. I told them I'm going to book that in Korea. They told me without proof of onward travel, I will not be able to board the flight. I told them this never happened with other airlines before, what's the reason behind it? They told me that
if I go on a one-way ticket, I might be denied entering Korea, and they will be fined.
I called the Korean immigration law consultant, and I also recorded the voice conversation. The Korean immigration consultant confirmed it that
it's not a requirement to have a round-trip ticket entering Korea. Also I am Visa-free for 90 days. She mentioned, that
regardless you have a one-way ticket or a round-trip ticket, you could get denied in both cases, but not because of the nature of your ticket (one-way or round-trip/onward). This contradicts Cathay Pacific's explanation why I got refused.
I asked them for an official statement, show me the written regulation/law whatever for the reason I got denied. They printed out a section from TIMATIC-3 system where they showed me this part:
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
WARNING:
- VISITORS NOT HOLDING RETURN/ONWARD TICKETS > TIRULES/R38 COULD BE REFUSED
Here is the TIRULES/R38 from the official website
R38) Ticket
......
Immigration authorities may request visitors and transit
passengers to prove that they will depart from the country
within the prescribed period, by showing a return or onward
ticket to their next international destination.
Unless stated otherwise, return/onward ticket is defined as:
a. International airline ticket (i.e. any types of airline
tickets, reservation confirmation, booking code etc.); or
b. Evidence of departing from the country by other means of
transportation (e.g. confirmation of joining a cruise, train,
bus or ferry tickets, proof of departing by private boat or
plane, etc).
I booked a cheap ticket going outside of Korea, showed them, and they put me on a flight 9 hours later than my original flight. I asked them for compensation, but they said I am not entitled for anything
I understand their point of view, they can save money if their customers have round-trip/onward ticket because it can increase the chance of entering the country. But on the other hand, from the Korean immigration side, it's not a requirement. Can they enforce their customers to buy the round-trip ticket as they did it with me? Can they just f@ck people over so easily and enforce them to buy a round-trip as they did with me? Who should I contact about this case? I am very upset