Even Gangsters Undergo Generational Change... 58% of Arrested Gangsters Are in Their 30s or Younger

NPA Announces Special Crackdown Results on Organized Crime
64.4% of All Gangsters Have Five or More Prior Convictions

Nearly six out of ten organized crime members arrested by the police in the first half of this year were young people aged 30 or younger. Additionally, most of the apprehended organized crime members were found to have multiple prior convictions.

On the 26th, the National Investigation Headquarters of the Korean National Police Agency announced the results of the "2023 First Half Special Crackdown on Organized Crime" containing these details.

During the special crackdown conducted from March 13 to the 12th of this month, the police arrested a total of 1,589 individuals and detained 313. Furthermore, they preemptively confiscated and preserved criminal proceeds amounting to 9.21 billion KRW before prosecution.

By crime type, "illegal acts targeting ordinary citizens such as violence and extortion" accounted for the largest number with 833 people (52.4%), followed by "corporate and intelligent illegal acts" with 494 people (31.1%), and other crimes including narcotics with 262 people (16.5%). Detailed categories included violent crimes with 720 people (45.3%), gambling site operations with 260 people (16.4%), extortion of businesses and ordinary citizens with 79 people (4.9%), other intelligent crimes with 70 people (4.4%), use of proxy items with 61 people (3.8%), telephone financial fraud with 60 people (3.8%), private loan businesses with 43 people (2.7%), and others with 262 people (16.5%).

Among those arrested, young people aged 30 or younger accounted for 919 individuals (57.8%), making up more than half, followed by those in their 40s with 398 people (25.1%), and those aged 50 and above with 272 people (17.1%). Notably, many suspects from the MZ generation, who are highly active and classified as the core operational group of the organizations, were apprehended. Among all suspects, 723 individuals (45.5%) had nine or more prior convictions, and 300 people (18.9%) had between five and eight prior convictions. First-time to fourth-time offenders accounted for only 566 people (35.6%).

The police focused on preemptive confiscation and preservation of criminal proceeds during investigations to prevent these funds from flowing into the organizations’ financial sources, freezing 9.21 billion KRW. This amount is nearly 30 times higher compared to 310 million KRW in 2019.

Additionally, considering the recent trend of minor disputes escalating into group assaults between organizations, the police gathered intelligence on various events and meetings and operated joint response teams from the early stages to conduct preventive criminal activities. As a result, the number of proactive contingency measures reached 117, a 58.1% increase compared to 74 cases last year.

The police plan to continue strict measures, including a four-month intensive crackdown in the second half of the year, to proactively block the rise of organized crime groups threatening public safety and to eradicate organized crime.

A representative from the Korean National Police Agency stated, “If you have experienced or witnessed crimes committed by organized crime groups, we thoroughly guarantee the identity of the reporter and provide victim protection measures, so we ask for active reporting and cooperation.”

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