South Korean individuals wanted by Interpol are being arrested in Vietnam and extradited to South Korea. Evidence has emerged that an online fraud ring, previously operating from Cambodia, relocated to Vietnam to evade law enforcement. South Korean fugitives facing charges of illegal gambling, voice phishing, and investment fraud have also been apprehended by local authorities.
According to the police in Bac Ninh Province, on August 5 and 6, eight South Koreans subject to Interpol red notices were handed over to South Korean authorities at Hanoi's Noi Bai International Airport. The transfer involved the criminal investigation office under the Bac Ninh police, the immigration department, the mobile police unit, and the Ministry of Public Security's international cooperation department.
The key figure among the eight is identified as a South Korean national born in 1984. The wanted record indicates that this individual and accomplices operated an online fraud organization in Sihanoukville, Cambodia, from September 2024 to March 2026. Their targets included businesses, restaurants, and retail stores in South Korea. They allegedly posed as buyers and sellers to gain victims' trust, convincing them to send deposits and then stealing the money. The international wanted notice lists 28 victims, with losses exceeding 1 billion won.
Domestic authorities have determined that the actual scale of the fraud is larger than indicated in the wanted notice. They estimate that the organization defrauded 619 South Korean victims of over 17.7 billion won. The Seoul District Court requested the issuance of an Interpol red notice for these eight individuals.
The presence of these fugitives in Vietnam was detected in March during a residence management process by the Bac Ninh police. They, along with the immigration office, identified suspicious living conditions and potential illegal activities of the eight South Koreans residing in a five-story house in Bac Ninh's Haphin District. During an on-site inspection, violations of residency reporting and equipment suspected to be used for online crimes were discovered. The police confirmed that none of the eight had reported their temporary residence. The house contained nine computers, six tablets, three USB drives, and 13 mobile phones.
The increased enforcement in Cambodia has been identified as a reason for the fugitives' relocation. Vietnamese authorities believe that, following a crackdown by Cambodian authorities on fraud organizations, these individuals requested their 'boss' to allow them to move to Vietnam for continued operations.
Identification was carried out in cooperation with South Korean authorities. After confirming their illegal activities, the Bac Ninh police requested support from relevant departments within the Ministry of Public Security and sought verification from the South Korean embassy in Vietnam and the Korean National Police Agency. Subsequently, it was confirmed that all eight were subjects of arrest warrants from the Seoul District Court and Interpol red notices.
Previously, two other South Korean fugitives were also extradited from Bac Ninh. On the night of April 7, the Bac Ninh police handed over individuals identified as C and O to South Korean authorities at Noi Bai International Airport. Both were confirmed to be subjects of Interpol red notices.
C is accused of operating an illegal online horse racing gambling site. According to the wanted record, he provided betting services for horse races in Seoul, Busan, and Jeju, as well as Japanese races, through an illegal betting site named 'Daesang Racing.' From February 8 to November 4, 2024, 277 users reportedly sent over 5.9 billion won to C's accounts. The Suwon District Court issued an arrest warrant on May 14, 2025, and Interpol issued a red notice on September 11 of the same year.
O is accused of participating in a telephone financial fraud organization. The wanted record states that he impersonated postal workers, prosecutors, investigators, and financial supervisory officials to deceive victims. From March 23 to April 1, 2025, O and accomplices allegedly defrauded multiple victims of 689 million won. The Uijeongbu District Court issued an arrest warrant on August 19, 2025, and Interpol issued a red notice on September 15 of the same year.
The capture of the two occurred in Bac Ninh's Bo Cuong area. Bac Ninh police confirmed in early March that C and O presented passports but lacked visas, raising suspicions of illegal entry. Following this, the Bac Ninh police tracked their whereabouts and apprehended them on April 6 while they were hiding in Bo Cuong. They reportedly admitted to illegally entering Vietnam and moving around various regions.
Earlier, President Lee Jae-myung met with leaders from Southeast Asia, including Vietnam, during the APEC summit in Gyeongju last year to strengthen transnational cooperation against the growing scam crimes spreading across Southeast Asia. In December of the same year, a 'Korea Task Force' comprising South Korean and Cambodian police achieved success by arresting South Koreans engaged in criminal activities in Cambodia and rescuing South Koreans who had been held captive.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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