Police and Coast Guard Joint Operation... First Domestic Case of Repatriating Fugitives Abroad Using a Vessel

[Asia Economy Reporters Hyesook Park and Seongpil Jo] On the 31st, the National Police Agency and the Korea Coast Guard jointly announced that they repatriated two fugitives abroad through Donghae Port. This is the first time the police have repatriated fugitives overseas via sea routes.

According to the police, the repatriated suspect A (49), a Chinese national, is accused of deceiving seafood importers in South Korea in May 2017 by promising to supply Russian king crabs at a low price and embezzling approximately $450,000 (about 600 million KRW). Earlier, in December 2018, the National Police Agency issued an Interpol red notice for A and has been cooperating internationally with Russian Interpol. After repeated tracking, the police obtained intelligence that A was scheduled to board a flight from Vladivostok to Moscow and, with cooperation from Russian Interpol, arrested him.

The other suspect B (38), a Russian national, is accused of negligence as a navigator at Ulsan Yeompo Pier in 2019, causing a ship explosion accident that resulted in 250 casualties and approximately 70 billion KRW in property damage to port facilities. The Ulsan Coast Guard issued a warrant for B in April 2020 on charges including professional negligence causing injury and professional negligence causing ship destruction.

The Coast Guard repeatedly requested B, who had left for Russia the day before the accident, to appear, but he did not comply, leading to a red notice request and continued cooperation with Russian Interpol. Ultimately, due to joint investigations and persuasion by both countries, B experienced a change of heart and was repatriated on this day.

Ham Mansik, head of the Coast Guard's Foreign Affairs Division, said, "This is the first time a red-notice suspect requested by the Coast Guard was safely repatriated via the sea, their main operational domain," adding, "We will continue to strengthen cooperation with related agencies to capture fugitives abroad." Kang Gitaek, head of the National Police Agency's Interpol International Cooperation Division, said, "This case highlights the collaboration among the police, the Coast Guard, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Consulate General in Vladivostok)," and added, "We will continue to strengthen the cooperation network between Interpol and domestic agencies in tracking fugitives abroad."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.