The Bureau of Immigration (BI) announced the deportation of three South Korean fugitives who were arrested in Pampanga and Rizal last September.

According to BI Commissioner Atty. Joel Anthony Viado, the Koreans were apprehended in two separate operations conducted by the BI Fugitive Search Unit (BI-FSU) on 14 and 19 September, 2024.

Atty. Viado stated that the Koreans will be deported to Seoul, South Korea, once the BI Board of Commissioners issues the order for their summary deportation.

"They have been added to our blacklist of undesirable aliens; as a result, they are permanently prohibited from re-entering the Philippines," the BI chief added.

The Bureau identified the arrested South Koreans as Kim Hyung-ju, 45, Oh Su-hong, 46, and Kim Hyo-joong, 44. They were arrested in Angeles, Pampanga, and Taytay, Rizal.

On 14 September, operatives apprehended Kim Hyung-ju at a residence along Pandan-Tabun Road in Angeles City, Pampanga. He was allegedly wanted in South Korea for telecommunications fraud. A warrant for his arrest was issued by a Korean court, where he was accused of being a member of a voice-phishing syndicate that defrauded its victims of more than 100 million won (over US$74,000).

Meanwhile, on the same day, the BI-FSU arrested Oh Su-hong along Walking St. in Angeles City. He is wanted for operating an illegal online gambling site. A Korean court issued a warrant for Oh's arrest after he was charged with violating his country’s Game Industry Promotion Act. Authorities alleged that in 2021, Oh illegally acquired 40 units of game consoles, which he installed for online betting.

On 19 September, BI-FSU operatives arrested Kim Hyo-joong at Executive Village in Taytay, Rizal. He is wanted for fraud and allegedly earned 73 million won from 23 victims by falsely promising to process their visas while employed at the Canada Immigration Support Center in Seoul. The Korean National Police Agency also revealed that Kim is facing criminal allegations for blackmail and kidnapping.

All three arrested South Koreans, whose passports have been revoked, are currently detained at the BI Warden Facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City, while awaiting their summary deportation.