South Korean police tighten nationwide crackdown on crime

On March 23, the Korean National Police Agency (KNPA) launched a nationwide crackdown on organized crime involving foreigners, lasting from March 24 to June 30.

A joint investigation team consisting of national and local police in Korea will take part in the early stages of the operation. (Source: Korea Herald)

According to the National Bureau of Investigation, the campaign is aimed at countering the rise of increasingly sophisticated criminal organizations, especially those involved in drug trafficking and car theft. Many organizations are not operating alone but as illegal enterprises, with coordination on a national or regional scale.

To improve efficiency, a joint investigation team consisting of national and local police will take action from the early stages in cases involving organized crime involving foreigners. Before initiating prosecution, Korean police will seize illegal assets to prevent the flow of money to criminal organizations. Seoul will strengthen international cooperation, including with Interpol, to track down suspects operating outside the country.

Along with the crackdown, the KNPA has pledged to protect undocumented foreigners who are victims of crime. Under its “Immigration Reporting Exemption” policy, police will not report these people when they report crimes, encouraging them to cooperate with investigations without fear of deportation. South Korea also offers rewards for information about crimes and pledges to protect the identities of those who report them.

In 2024, Seoul recorded about 2.65 million foreign residents, of which about 397,500 were undocumented. The number of residents dropped to 1.96 million in 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic but has increased again for three consecutive years, reaching 2.25 million in 2022 and 2.51 million in 2023.

Crime statistics reflect a similar trend. According to the National Bureau of Investigation, the number of foreign suspects fell from 35,390 in 2020 to 29,450 in 2021, but rose to 39,540 in 2022. In 2023, the number dropped to 32,737 before rising to 35,283 in 2024.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/ca-nh-sat-ha-n-quoc-siệt-chat-vo-ng-vay-toi-pham-toa-n-quoc-308665.html