Travel demands Rp125 million after Madiun tour participant vanishes in South Korea

A tour participant from Madiun, East Java, Femas (22), is suspected of leaving the group during a sightseeing trip in South Korea. The travel agency said it bore a Rp125 million penalty to a visa operator after Femas did not return to the hotel in the Myeongdong area and could not be reached. The agency then visited his family home in Bantengan village, Wungu district, and found several things it considered irregular, including deleted WhatsApp chat records and the Papago translation app on his mother's phone. Separately, Femas' mother, M (56), said she was instead asked to pay Rp50 million in compensation and objected because she works irregular jobs. The Foreign Ministry, through Director for WNI Protection Heni Hamidah, regretted the alleged misuse of entry facilities to South Korea and reminded WNI that compliance is important to maintain the trust of local authorities.