14 January 2011--The Department of Foreign Affairs received assurances from Philippine immigration authorities that the 70 South Korean children who were enrolled in an English language school in Lemery, Batangas are under proper care by Filipino teachers-custodians in their school premises and are free to move about.

This was after the Bureau of Immigration (BI) ordered their school closed last January 7 for operating without licenses.

The children, aged 10 to 16 years, are scheduled to return to South Korea by the end of the month, and they are not in detention.

Arrested during the raid were six South Korean nationals, who are detained at Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan for the operation of a learning facility without a permit and violation of visa conditions.

The Korean students did not have the required Special Study Permit (SSP), a document that interested foreign students must apply for upon arrival in the Philippines.

Under Philippine immigration law, foreigners should apply for the SSP if they intend to study in the country.

Members of the Philippine National Police and the media were present when BI officials went to the school premises.

According to the BI, the six South Korean nationals pretended to be conducting “summer camps”, when the facility was in fact being operated as an English-language school staffed by Filipino teachers. The facility was being marketed as a school in South Korea.

South Koreans can enter the Philippines without a visa for tourism purposes and stay in the country for a period of 21 days. The Philippine Embassy in Seoul issues a 59-day tourist visa to foreigners who wish to to have a longer stay in the country.