‘Fraudster’ Korean woman behind bars

Authorities have arrested a South Korean woman wanted by Seoul for allegedly defrauding her compatriots of millions of pesos, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) announced.

The BI identified the suspect as Shim Sukyoung, who was taken into custody by the BI’s Fugitive Search Unit on 29 October in Pasig City.

Records from the Suwon District Court show that Shim has an active arrest warrant issued in March 2024 for large-scale fraud under Korea’s Criminal Act.

An Interpol Red Notice was also issued for her in June 2023.

Investigation revealed that between 2016 and 2018, Shim allegedly deceived victims at a Manila beauty salon by claiming she needed money to cover currency exchange fees at a hotel.

Through this scheme, she is believed to have collected 590 million Korean won — approximately P26.4 million — from 35 different transactions.

Immigration records indicate Shim last entered the Philippines in 2017 as a tourist and never applied for a visa extension.

She also has two active derogatory records, a blacklist order and a watchlist order, both dated 29 May 2023, citing undesirability for being a fugitive from justice.

Shim is currently detained at the BI Warden Facility pending deportation proceedings.