This file photo, provided by Yonhap News TV, is related to a police crackdown on violent crimes committed by foreigners. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Oct. 12 (Korea Bizwire) — About 36,000 foreigners were arrested on criminal charges annually on average over the past five years, about half of them from China, National Police Agency (NPA) data showed Thursday.
A total of 180,162 foreigners were apprehended as suspects in criminal cases from 2018 to 2022, recording an annual average of 36,032, according to data submitted to Rep. Chung Woo-taik of the ruling People Power Party.
The number of foreign suspects detained this year as of August was 21,908.
By crime type, assault cases marked the highest rate at 40,028, or 22.2 percent of the total, followed by 20.9 percent, or 37,670 cases of traffic law violations, and 29,108 cases, or 16.2 percent, accounted for fraud or embezzlement crimes.
Chinese nationals, who make up the largest ethnic group in South Korea, accounted for nearly half of all foreign suspects with 49.5 percent, followed by Thai nationals at 8.4 percent, 7.8 percent from Vietnam, 4.8 percent from the United States and Russians at 3.6 percent.
In June, police nabbed 82 Thai nationals accused of distributing and injecting yaba, a combination of methamphetamine and caffeine, during a special crackdown in neighborhoods with large numbers of foreign workers.
A Filipino was arrested in May for snatching 1.3 billion won (US$970,308) from some 20 people, mostly Philippine nationals residing in South Korea, in an investment scam.
“(The government should) strengthen immigration controls and crackdowns on illegal migrants, as well as apply impartial jurisdiction on foreign criminal suspects,” said Choi Hong-man, a professor at Taegu Science University, who led a relevant study.
Choi also stressed the necessity of Korean language education and multicultural engagement policies in order to cut off the vicious cycle of such crimes leading to stereotypes and discrimination against foreigners, which could become triggers for second offenses.
(Yonhap)
