110 foreign fugitives hiding in South Korea after committing crimes abroad

More than 100 foreign nationals who committed crimes abroad are hiding in South Korea, according to data obtained from the Korean National Police Agency.

Chinese nationals top the list of those sought through Interpol red notices, while fraud is the most common charge.

An analysis of data submitted to Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Kim Jun-hwan by the Korean National Police Agency shows that as of Aug. 12, a total of 110 foreign nationals had fled to South Korea after committing crimes in their home countries or elsewhere abroad.

By nationality, Chinese nationals accounted for the largest group, with 40 people — or 36 percent — wanted through Interpol notices. Uzbek nationals came next with 19, followed by Mongolians with 17 and Vietnamese with 13. Most of those on the list are from Asian countries, including Kazakhstan, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Thailand and Japan.

By type of offense, fraud suspects made up the largest share at 47 people, or 43 percent. Another 29 fell under other categories, including violations of laws related to children and youth, abduction, confinement and prostitution. Drug offenders numbered seven, while theft, road traffic violations, bodily injury and assault charges each accounted for five people.

In early August, the Gyeonggi Province Southern Police Agency arrested a Chinese national in his 50s who had been on the run for years and forcibly deported him to China. The man had committed armed robbery and murder in Tianjin, China, in 1997, then entered South Korea in 2017 and lived there as an undocumented immigrant, according to the investigation.

When a cooperation request comes in through Interpol, police pass the information to the international cooperation units of metropolitan and provincial police agencies in areas where the fugitive is believed to be hiding, then move to make an arrest.

Through an organizational restructuring this year, the number of personnel dedicated to international cooperation rose sharply from 22 to 64. As a result, the number of fugitives repatriated to their home countries nearly doubled, rising from 13 last year to 24 through August this year.

Strengthened investigative cooperation between countries has also driven up the number of Korean criminals repatriated from abroad, with 192 returned last year — a figure that has exceeded 100 annually for several consecutive years.

"It is a serious problem that directly threatens the safety of our citizens when fugitives who have committed serious crimes abroad brazenly hide in South Korea," Kim said. "Police must expand the personnel and budget dedicated to Interpol cooperation to meaningfully improve the fugitive arrest rate."