130 People Defrauded of 2 Billion Won by Chinese Voice Phishing Mastermind Repatriated to Korea

Operation of 'Voice Phishing Organization' in Qingdao, Shandong Province, China

The mastermind behind a voice phishing scam who swindled about 13 billion KRW from over 130 victims in Qingdao, Shandong Province, China, has been captured and forcibly repatriated to South Korea.

On the 25th, the National Police Agency announced that, in cooperation with the Chinese Ministry of Public Security, they apprehended the voice phishing mastermind, Mr. A (41, male), locally and forcibly repatriated him to South Korea through Incheon Airport.

Mr. A operated a voice phishing organization in Qingdao, Shandong Province, China, from 2015 to 2019, deceiving victims by using bait such as low-interest repayment loans to swindle money.

Following a request from the Daejeon Police Agency’s Violent Crime Investigation Unit, which had been seeking Mr. A since 2020, the National Police Agency obtained an Interpol Red Notice for him and, in 2021, provided the Chinese Ministry of Public Security with information on his whereabouts to request his arrest.

After Mr. A was apprehended at a hideout in Qingdao on March 16 of this year, the National Police Agency cooperated closely with the Korean Embassy in China and the Korean Consulate General in Qingdao. Through discussions with the Chinese Ministry of Public Security and Shandong Provincial Public Security authorities, a swift repatriation was arranged, culminating in the finalization of the extradition.

A National Police Agency official stated that, taking this repatriation as an opportunity, they visited the Chinese Ministry of Public Security to express gratitude. They also delivered a draft memorandum of understanding on cooperation to eradicate telecommunication financial fraud and proposed signing it during a bilateral security chiefs’ meeting.

Kang Gi-taek, Director of the Interpol International Cooperation Division, said, "This repatriation is the first achievement resulting from close cooperation between the police forces of both countries despite border closures due to COVID-19. We will continue to strengthen cooperation with China and develop various measures to activate joint investigations."

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