Although unauthorized outsiders have repeatedly been caught trespassing into Busan Port's New Terminal—a core national logistics hub—not a single fine has reportedly been imposed, it has been revealed.

According to findings confirmed today (September 28), there have been a total of 572 cases of unauthorized entries or attempted entries into Busan Port's New Terminal from January of last year to September 22.

This means that unauthorized entries or attempts to enter Busan Port's New Terminal occur nearly 30 times a month.

The types of violations involve authorized cargo truck drivers taking unapproved individuals into the terminal inside their vehicles, or attempting to do so.

Most of those caught claimed that the unauthorized passengers were family members or employees, and they reportedly explained that these individuals accompanied them to receive driving practice before officially operating cargo trucks.

However, this figure was identified through a process of inspecting 5 percent of all entering vehicles in accordance with port facility security plans.

Given that uninspected vehicles may also have carried unapproved passengers, the actual number of unauthorized entries and entry attempts is expected to be higher.

There were also 11 confirmed cases of individuals who were caught once and subsequently re-entered or attempted to enter Busan Port's New Terminal.

Among them, 7 cases involved being caught twice, 2 cases involved being caught three times, and another 2 cases involved being caught four times.

One individual was caught a total of four times: first at Pier 4 of Busan Port's New Terminal on November 21 of last year, followed by May 29 of this year, August 4, and September 14.

The problem is that despite more than 570 illegal cases continuing over a period of about 1 year and 9 months, not a single penalty of a fine has been executed.

The current International Ship and Port Facility Security Act prohibits port facility users from entering port facilities determined by Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries ordinances without legitimate entry procedures.

Accordingly, outsiders must obtain permission according to predetermined procedures to enter the port, and fines are imposed on those who enter without legitimate entry procedures.

The fines are 1.5 million won for a first violation, 2 million won for a second violation, and 3 million won for a third or subsequent violation.

The Busan Regional Office of Oceans and Fisheries, which holds the authority to impose fines, stated that it has limited its response to on-site warnings and guidance considering the entry purposes of those caught.

An official from the Busan Regional Office of Oceans and Fisheries stated, "The purpose of the relevant laws is to protect ports from threats such as terrorism and smuggling," adding, "Since those caught frequently accompanied drivers for practice before driving trucks or entered without fully understanding the relevant procedures, we have been issuing on-site guidance instead of imposing fines."

"We will make efforts to improve the pointed-out issues by consulting with related organizations such as the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and Busan Port Authority," the official added.

Some critics voice concerns that if unauthorized outsiders repeatedly access Busan Port's New Terminal—a core national logistics facility—it could go beyond a simple procedural violation and lead to vulnerabilities in port security.

Furthermore, Busan Port's New Terminal is classified as a Grade A national key facility, the highest security tier.

Ham Hye-hyun, a professor in the Division of Future Convergence at Pukyong National University who majored in police science, pointed out, "Even if those caught claim they entered for practice or by mistake, it is possible that they filmed or leaked information without detection," adding, "As it is impossible to know what kind of criminal risk unauthorized entry might lead to, strict management is necessary."

(Photo: Yonhap News)