Angeles City, Pampanga — Bureau of Immigration (BI) operatives have detained a South Korean national wanted by both Seoul authorities and Interpol for allegedly leading a large-scale telecommunications fraud syndicate.

BI Commissioner Atty. Joel Anthony Viado identified the fugitive as 36-year-old Choi Hojun, who was apprehended on 14 April by members of the BI Fugitive Search Unit (FSU) at his residence in Barangay Domingo, Angeles City.

According to BI records, Choi entered the Philippines on 15 August 2022, and has not left the country since. In April 2024, the Incheon District Court in Seoul issued a warrant for his arrest. Following this, Interpol released a red notice for Choi.

Atty. Viado said the arrest was based on a mission order he issued upon a formal request from the South Korean government for assistance in locating and deporting Choi. The fugitive had reportedly been hiding in the Philippines for over a year and a half to evade prosecution in his home country.

"We are bolstering our border control systems to ensure that fugitives cannot find refuge in the Philippines under the Bagong Pilipinas framework,” Viado said. “Once the Board of Commissioners issues Choi’s summary deportation order, he will be deported and permanently barred from reentering the country.”

BI-FSU Chief Rendel Ryan Sy reported that Choi led a voice phishing syndicate that illegally acquired private banking information to defraud victims. The group is believed to have caused financial losses amounting to 1.73 billion Korean won, or approximately P70 million.

Choi is currently detained at the BI Warden Facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City, pending the conclusion of deportation proceedings.