Narrative:

Cleared by pusan tower controller in korea to position and hold on runway 36L. While waiting on runway for takeoff clearance, tower controller said, 'air carrier X, I have a question -- why did you taxi onto runway?' we answered 'because you told us to position and hold on runway 36L and that is what we repeated back.' the controller said, 'no, I told you to....' we answered that 'no you didn't.' the tower controller's native language was korean and his english was very poor, and he sounded very tired. At any rate, the MD11 crew of 3 all heard position and to position and hold and that is what we did. I really don't know for sure what caused the problem or confusion or what to suggest to correct the problem. I just thought it would be a good idea to report the problem.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD11 CREW AT A KOREAN ARPT WAS GIVEN INSTRUCTIONS THAT WERE UNDERSTOOD BY THE PLTS AS A CLRNC TO TAXI INTO POS AND HOLD.

Narrative: CLRED BY PUSAN TWR CTLR IN KOREA TO POS AND HOLD ON RWY 36L. WHILE WAITING ON RWY FOR TKOF CLRNC, TWR CTLR SAID, 'ACR X, I HAVE A QUESTION -- WHY DID YOU TAXI ONTO RWY?' WE ANSWERED 'BECAUSE YOU TOLD US TO POS AND HOLD ON RWY 36L AND THAT IS WHAT WE REPEATED BACK.' THE CTLR SAID, 'NO, I TOLD YOU TO....' WE ANSWERED THAT 'NO YOU DIDN'T.' THE TWR CTLR'S NATIVE LANGUAGE WAS KOREAN AND HIS ENGLISH WAS VERY POOR, AND HE SOUNDED VERY TIRED. AT ANY RATE, THE MD11 CREW OF 3 ALL HEARD POS AND TO POS AND HOLD AND THAT IS WHAT WE DID. I REALLY DON'T KNOW FOR SURE WHAT CAUSED THE PROB OR CONFUSION OR WHAT TO SUGGEST TO CORRECT THE PROB. I JUST THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA TO RPT THE PROB.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.