Seoul: The number of foreigners who fell victim to fraud in South Korea has nearly quadrupled in just two years, a lawmaker revealed, citing data from the National Police Agency.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the number of foreign victims scammed rose significantly from 5,307 in 2023 to 8,671 in 2024, and then to 19,907 last year, as reported by Rep. Kim Joon-hwan of the ruling Democratic Party. Many cases involved overseas fans of Korean pop culture, or "hallyu," with scammers targeting fans by offering merchandise related to K-pop stars and disappearing after receiving payment.
The report highlighted that, during the period from June 12-13, when K-pop megagroup BTS held a concert in Busan, three out of five crimes reported were scams. The data also indicated an 81.7 percent increase in the number of foreigners falling victim to all crime types over the past two years, with figures rising from 28,048 in 2023 to 50,975 last year.
Rep. Kim Joon-hwan urged for measures to prevent crimes against foreigners, especially given the sharp increase in foreign tourists visiting South Korea. Government tourism data showed that the number of foreigners visiting South Korea surged by 71.7 percent, increasing from 11 million in 2023 to 18.9 million last year.