Wanted Korean nabbed for financial fraud

A South Korean man wanted by Seoul authorities and Interpol for financial fraud was arrested by Bureau of Immigration (BI) officials at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) when he attempted to depart the country.

BI commissioner Atty. Joel Anthony Viado identified the passenger as Jung Hyunjoon, who was intercepted recently by BI officers at NAIA Terminal 3 before he could board his China Southern Airlines flight bound for Guangzhou, China.

According to Viado, Jung was arrested and detained pending deportation proceedings, which will be initiated against him as an undesirable alien.

“He will be sent back to Korea to deal with the accusations against him. Additionally, he will be placed on our blacklist and prohibited from returning to the Philippines,” the BI chief said.

According to BI-NAIA Terminal 3 chief supervisor Dennis Javier, Jung presented himself for departure procedures at the immigration counter. The processing BI officer noticed that his name triggered a hit on the BI’s Interpol red notice list.

“He was referred to our duty supervisors for secondary inspection, and they confirmed and validated that the passenger and the person listed in the red notice were the same,” Javier said.

Meantime, BI-Interpol chief Peter de Guzman disclosed that Jung is the subject of an arrest warrant issued by a Korean court after being charged with participating in electronic financial fraud.

He was allegedly accused of conspiring with a member of a voice phishing syndicate in receiving 5 million won from a syndicate victim more than two years ago.

De Guzman said the incident occurred in 2022 when Jung received an offer from a syndicate member to collect the victim’s money in exchange for a 5 percent commission.

As he awaits deportation proceedings, Jung is currently being held at the BI Warden Facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City.