110 foreign fugitives in South Korea: Police reveal where they came from and the crimes they face
SEOUL, South Korea — More than 100 foreign nationals wanted in connection with crimes committed overseas were residing in South Korea as of August, according to new data from the Korean National Police Agency (KNPA), highlighting the growing challenge of tracking international fugitives across borders.
The KNPA recorded 110 foreign fugitives in South Korea as of Aug. 12, 2026, according to data submitted to Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Jun-hwan. The figures have triggered renewed attention on South Korea's efforts to locate and repatriate people wanted by foreign authorities.
But behind the headline number is an even more striking detail: fraud was the largest single crime category, accounting for 47 of the 110 cases.
China accounts for the biggest share
People wanted by China made up the largest nationality-related group in the police data.
There were 40 individuals subject to Interpol notices requested by China, representing about 36% of the total.
They were followed by:
- Uzbekistan — 19
- Mongolia — 17
- Vietnam — 13
Other cases involved nationals from countries including Kazakhstan, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Thailand and Japan, according to the police data.
The concentration among Asian countries underscores the importance of regional police cooperation in tracking suspects who cross borders after allegedly committing crimes.
Fraud dominates the cases
Fraud was the most common offense, involving 47 of the 110 fugitives.
Another 29 cases fell under an “other” category that included allegations involving child and youth protection laws, abduction, kidnapping, confinement and prostitution.
The remaining cases included:
- Drug offenses — 7
- Theft — 5
- Road Traffic Act violations — 5
- Injury — 5
- Assault — 5
The figures show that South Korea's international-fugitive problem is not limited to violent crime. Financial and organized criminal activity account for a substantial portion of the cases.
A 29-year-old murder case puts the problem in focus
One recent case illustrates just how long an international fugitive can remain outside the country where the alleged crime occurred.
South Korean authorities arrested a Chinese man in his 50s who was wanted over a 1997 robbery and murder case in Tianjin, China.
According to SBS and KBS, the man entered South Korea in 2017 and lived there without valid immigration status. He was arrested by the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency and later forcibly repatriated to China to face authorities there.
The case is remarkable because almost three decades passed between the alleged crime and his eventual repatriation.
It also illustrates why international fugitive investigations can be difficult: suspects may cross borders, change residences or remain in another country for years before authorities identify and locate them.
Police dramatically expand international cooperation team
South Korean police are responding by expanding the personnel dedicated to international cooperation.
The KNPA increased its dedicated workforce from 22 personnel to 64 this year, according to the data.
That expansion coincided with a sharp increase in foreign fugitives repatriated from South Korea.
Police repatriated 24 foreign fugitives between January and August 2026, compared with 13 during all of 2025, according to the data reported by Korean media.
When the KNPA receives a cooperation request through Interpol, it can notify the relevant regional police unit where the fugitive is believed to be staying and coordinate efforts to locate and arrest the individual.
The crackdown also works in reverse
South Korea is not only trying to find foreigners wanted abroad.
Its police are also working with foreign authorities to track down South Korean fugitives who flee overseas after allegedly committing crimes at home.
China has become an especially important partner.
According to the KNPA data, 192 South Korean fugitives were repatriated from China in 2025, with Chinese authorities continuing to cooperate in cases involving Korean nationals suspected of crimes including voice-phishing and other scams.
The cooperation demonstrates how international policing increasingly depends on reciprocal assistance rather than one country acting alone.
Mongolia cooperation also produces results
South Korea has also strengthened cooperation with Mongolia.
The KNPA repatriated 13 fugitives who had fled to South Korea to Mongolia this year, with SBS reporting a substantial increase compared with the previous year.
The broader police strategy is designed not only to apprehend fugitives inside South Korea but also to improve cooperation when Korean nationals are wanted abroad.
Why the 110 figure matters
The 110 figure should not be interpreted as a list of people convicted of crimes by South Korean courts.
These are foreign nationals wanted in connection with crimes committed overseas, based on international cooperation and police data. The legal status and allegations differ from case to case.
That distinction is particularly important when reporting Interpol cases. An international notice or foreign warrant does not itself establish guilt; the individual remains subject to the applicable legal and judicial process in the relevant jurisdiction.
Still, the number shows the scale of the challenge facing South Korean law enforcement.
With 110 foreign fugitives recorded as residing in the country, police must coordinate across national borders, immigration systems and jurisdictions to locate suspects and complete the procedures necessary for their return.
The bigger story: borders are no longer enough
The latest figures offer a glimpse into how international crime has evolved.
A suspect can allegedly commit a crime in one country, travel to another and remain there for years before being located.
The 1997 Tianjin murder case is an extreme example.
Meanwhile, the large number of fraud-related cases points to another growing challenge: cross-border financial crime, where criminals can exploit international networks and digital communications to move victims, money and operations across jurisdictions.
For South Korean police, the answer is increasingly international cooperation.
The expansion of dedicated personnel from 22 to 64 and the rise in repatriations suggest authorities are putting more resources into that effort.
The hunt is far from over
The latest police data paints a clear picture: 110 foreign fugitives were recorded in South Korea as of Aug. 12, with fraud accounting for nearly half of the identified cases.
China-linked cases represented the largest group, while police are simultaneously increasing cooperation with countries across Asia and beyond.
And the arrest of a Chinese suspect nearly 30 years after a reported murder shows why international fugitive investigations can remain active for decades.
For those attempting to escape prosecution by crossing a border, the latest developments carry a simple warning:
A new country may provide distance from a crime scene—but it does not necessarily provide a safe haven.