110 foreign fugitives hiding in S. Korea: data

Seoul, September 8 - According to data released by the Korean National Police Agency (KNPA) and shared with Rep. Kim Jun-hwan of the ruling Democratic Party, over 100 foreign nationals wanted for crimes in their home countries are currently residing in South Korea as of August 12. The data reveals that Chinese criminals held on Interpol's notice make up the largest group, accounting for 36 percent of the 110 fugitives, followed by Uzbekistan with 17 fugitives and Mongolia with 17.

Fraud is the most prevalent offense, with 47 cases, while kidnapping, confinement, and sex trafficking follow with 29 cases each. The remaining offenses include drug-related crimes, theft, traffic law violations, and assault.

In an effort to combat the issue of international fugitives, the KNPA has significantly increased its dedicated workforce, expanding from 22 personnel to 64 this year. This expansion has nearly doubled the agency's repatriations of foreign fugitives, from 13 cases last year to 24 cases between January and August. The KNPA attributes this progress to strengthened international cooperation, which has also led to an increase in the arrest of South Korean criminals who have fled overseas.

For instance, Chinese authorities repatriated 192 South Korean fugitives last year, as indicated by the data.