No. of S. Koreans imprisoned overseas up 25 pct in 4 yrs: lawmaker

According to Rep. Kim Joon-hwan of South Korea's ruling Democratic Party, the number of South Korean citizens imprisoned overseas has increased by over 25% in the last four years, reaching 1,325 individuals as of June this year. This figure constitutes a 25.6% rise from the 1,055 South Koreans incarcerated abroad in 2022, according to data provided by the foreign ministry.

China accounted for the largest number of South Korean prisoners, with 424 cases. Other countries with significant numbers of South Korean inmates included Japan (254), Vietnam (204), the United States (138), the Philippines (61), Cambodia (54), and Thailand (43).

Vietnam saw the most dramatic increase in South Korean prisoners, with the number jumping nearly fivefold from 42 in 2022 to 204 this year. The majority of these cases were related to fraud, accounting for approximately a quarter of the total, or 332 instances. Drug-related offenses followed with 291 cases, while murder accounted for 128.

Gambling-related crimes numbered 91, theft resulted in 69 cases, and sexual assault or harassment allegations totaled 52. Thirty-four South Koreans were also incarcerated on charges of kidnapping, including instances related to organized crimes and employment scams.