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Korean man records video alleging wrongful detainment in Malaysia, ministry consulting local authorities

Published: 11 Jun. 2025, 16:05

A Korean man alleged that he was illegally detained in a prison in Malaysia through a post uploaded to his social media on June 7. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

A Korean man alleged he was wrongfully detained by police in Malaysia, prompting Seoul’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to provide consular support, according to a ministry statement released Tuesday.

The man posted a video on social media on Saturday in which he claimed he had been “illegally detained in Malaysia” and described his situation as being wrongfully imprisoned despite being a victim.

The man said the incident began on a flight from Bali to Hong Kong, where he was seated next to a foreign passenger. He alleged that the passenger made racist remarks and physically threatened him during the flight.

The man claimed he was mistaken for the aggressor and was detained by Malaysian authorities during a layover at a local airport alongside the other passenger.

According to the man, he submitted a two-hour video documenting the other passenger's behavior to the police, but they dismissed the evidence and treated him as a violent offender.

He said he was held in a high-security detention facility.

The man added he managed to film a video from inside the facility using an unregistered phone he had smuggled in hidden in his underwear.

The footage, released on social media, shows several individuals in what appears to be prison clothing, either sitting or lying down in a confined space that resembles a detention center.

“I’m covered in bruises,” the man said in one video. “The handcuffs were so tight that I lost feeling in my fingers.” He showed what appeared to be bruising on his body as evidence.

Since then, the man has uploaded multiple posts, saying, “I want the world to know what the Malaysian police did to me,” and, “I hope no one else becomes a victim like me.”

The Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday that the "diplomatic mission has been providing necessary consular assistance since becoming aware of the incident.”

The ministry declined to provide further details, citing the need to protect privacy.

Under Korea’s consular assistance policy, the government offers support to nationals involved in overseas incidents to protect their safety and legal rights. This support typically includes information about local laws and remedies, initial legal advice and referrals to local attorneys or interpreters.

However, consular staff do not offer direct legal representation or intervene in host country investigations or judicial proceedings.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY JANG GU-SEUL [[email protected]]