“The nationality with the highest proportion among foreign criminal suspects last year was China.”
Jin Jong-oh, a member of the National Assembly’s Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee from the People Power Party, announced on the 18th that he had proposed a bill to amend the Immigration Control Act to categorize foreign serious offenders as subject to deportation (forced departure). The amendment reportedly includes provisions that specify that foreigners who commit serious crimes such as murder, robbery, and drug offenses are subject to mandatory deportation.
The current Immigration Control Act allows for the possibility of forced deportation for foreigners sentenced to imprisonment or more. However, Jin stated that the specific criteria for forced deportation are delegated to the Ministry of Justice’s decree, highlighting that there is a lack of clarity in execution.
According to the data Jin received from the National Police Agency, the total number of foreign criminal suspects apprehended increased by 8.7% in three years, from 32,470 cases in 2021 to 35,296 cases in 2024. On a nationwide scale, this amounts to nearly 100 foreign suspects being apprehended daily on average. By nationality, Chinese nationals accounted for nearly half, with 16,099 individuals, followed by 3,922 from Vietnam, 2,204 from Thailand, and 1,962 from Uzbekistan.
Jin emphasized, “As the protection of the people’s lives and safety is the state’s fundamental duty that cannot be compromised, swift and strict deportation measures should be taken against foreigners who commit serious crimes.”