[REVISION HISTORY]

South Korean law enforcement crackdown on organized crime

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2026-10-19 02:48 UTC → 2026-10-28 02:59 UTC · added ~~removed~~

South Korean authorities have conducted major operations targeting various forms of organized crime and illicit trade. Law enforcement agencies dismantled several fraud syndicates involved in large-scale voice phishing and money laundering. In Daegu and Daejeon, 46 individuals were arrested for distributing illegal bank accounts used in phishing and gambling schemes. In Jeju, a syndicate was intercepted after defrauding 1,341 victims of 10.8 billion won using methods such as AI-generated images and impersonating public institutions. Recent nationwide crackdowns on financial crimes and cyber fraud have resulted in the arrest of over 26,000 individuals. Investigations identified more than 61,000 cases, with second-hand transaction scams accounting for approximately 50% of the total. Authorities noted a trend toward organized crime involving international networks in China, the Philippines, and Cambodia. In a significant recovery effort, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency successfully returned approximately 26.37 billion won to 1,137 voice phishing victims through a three-year investigation into frozen cryptocurrency wallets. In Incheon, police reported a significant decline in voice phishing, with reported cases and damages falling by approximately 56% and 60% respectively compared to the previous year. To combat increasingly sophisticated tactics, the Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency has launched a crime prevention campaign using short-form videos. Expanding the scope of recent investigations, the Chungnam Provincial Police Agency dismantled a massive illegal gambling supply syndicate that operated between March 2023 and July 2024. Operating primarily out of Vietnam and Cambodia, the organization managed 188 gambling websites, facilitating a market estimated at approximately 23 trillion KRW. The syndicate utilized a vertical pyramid structure involving vendor companies, solution companies, site operators, and recruiters. Police apprehended between 72 and 77 individuals, issued Interpol Red Notices for 12 suspects who fled abroad, and applied for the seizure of approximately 9.6 billion KRW in criminal proceeds.

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