LOS ANGELES: Members of a K-pop girl band detained at the Los Angeles airport and sent back to South Korea lacked the proper work visas, the Los Angeles Times reported Sunday.
The agency that represents the band Oh My Girl, WM Entertainment, said that US immigration authorities suspected that they might be sex workers after the eight performers were held at the Los Angeles airport for 15 hours on Dec. 9.
Not true, an official with the US Customs and Border Patrol told the Times.
Band members were seeking to enter under a program that allows South Koreans to travel in the United States for up to 90 days without a visa, the official said.
But when customs agents went through their luggage and found costumes and props it was clear that they had arrived to perform.
The US agents denied the young women entry because they lacked the required P1 performance visa.
K-pop band lacked work visa for US
K-pop band lacked work visa for US
