On 2 April 2012, at 2pm, Dr. Mario Damato, Mr. Fung Ka Keung and Mr. Kang Iong Nian three senior staff members of the East Asia office of Greenpeace, were denied entry into the Republic of Korea upon arrival at Incheon International Airport.The three senior staff members of Greenpeace East Asia were accompanying the International Executive Director of Greenpeace, Mr. Kumi Naidoo. Mr. Damato, Mr. Fung and Mr. Kang were stopped at Immigration. Mr. Naidoo however was allowed to entry. Mr. Damato, Mr. Fung and Mr. Kang were temporarily detained for six hours, while awaiting deportation to Hong Kong. The purpose of the visit was to promote one of the Greenpeace ships, the Esperanza, two weeks before it would arrive in South Korea. The Esperanza is on tour to promote the use of renewable energy. The delegation also planned to meet with government officials, political leaders, and prominent members of civil society to promote the renewable energy vision and explore collaboration on the Greenpeace domestic and global nuclear campaign. The organization had no protests planned, only meetings with government officials and reporters. The immigration authorities did not give any reason why the three men were denied entry while Mr. Naidoo was allowed in. The national newspaper The Korea Herald reported that "according to a Korea immigration Service officer, they received a request to deny entry to Greenpeace officials from a government branch. The officer, on the condition of anonymity, refused to disclose which branch it was. The officer added that the government branch had filed the request on the basis of national interest." Around 8 pm, Dr. Damato, Mr. Fung and Mr. Kang were deported from Incheon airport to Hong Kong. In the evening of that same day, Mr. Naidoo was able to meet with the Mayor of Seoul, Mr. Park Woon Soon, the Mayor of Incheon, Mr. Song Young Gil, other local politicians, media and representatives of NGOs.