South Korea's Ministry of Justice and prosecutors arrested 304 individuals for financial securities and virtual asset crimes over the past year and seized 381.4 billion won in criminal proceeds, according to a July 20 press release. The enforcement actions targeted three major crime categories threatening public livelihood: voice phishing, financial and digital asset crimes, and narcotics. The Ministry described the results as visible achievements from concentrating investigative resources on these harmful crimes.
Voice Phishing Crime Joint Investigation Department Arrests 471 Individuals
The Seoul Dongbu District Prosecutors' Office Voice Phishing Crime Joint Investigation Department arrested 471 people and detained 169 between July 2025 and May 2026. Monthly average arrests increased 87% compared to the previous three years, while detentions rose 6.7%.
Financial Securities and Virtual Asset Crime Joint Investigation Department Seizes 381.4 Billion Won
The Seoul Nambu District Prosecutors' Office Financial Securities and Virtual Asset Crime Joint Investigation Department arrested 304 individuals and detained 25 between June 2025 and May 2026. Prosecutors seized a total of 381.4 billion won in criminal proceeds from these cases.
Narcotics Crime Joint Investigation Headquarters Arrests 246 Cases
The Narcotics Crime Joint Investigation Headquarters, established at Suwon District Prosecutors' Office and other locations in November last year, arrested 246 cases involving eight drug trafficking organizations and detained 125 individuals through June.
Ministry Announces Additional Justice Administration Achievements
The Ministry of Justice highlighted additional accomplishments including Commercial Act amendments, detection of consumer goods cartel cases, proposal of comprehensive Civil Code contract law revisions, and active immigration policies. The Ministry also announced the establishment of emergency living safety expenses, increased minimum living cost standards for debt seizure protection, creation of an immigrant human rights investigation team, and construction of new correctional facilities. Other achievements included promulgation of the Pro-Japanese Property Attribution Act and withdrawal or abandonment of appeals in past human rights violation cases.
Justice Minister Jeong Seong-ho Reflects on One-Year Record
Justice Minister Jeong Seong-ho stated, "Over the past year, I have centered justice administration on 'a Ministry of Justice that works for the people' and 'a Ministry of Justice that grows for public safety and livelihood,' seeking answers in the field." He added, "From healing the wounds of state violence to responding to international investment disputes, designing advanced immigration and foreigner policies, and resolving correctional facility overcrowding, we have created an opportunity to elevate the Republic of Korea's rule of law paradigm to the next level."
FAQ
How many people did South Korea's prosecutors arrest for virtual asset crimes over the past year?
South Korea's Ministry of Justice and prosecutors arrested 304 individuals for financial securities and virtual asset crimes over the past year, according to a July 20 press release. Prosecutors detained 25 of these individuals and seized 381.4 billion won in criminal proceeds from June 2025 to May 2026.
What three major crime categories did South Korea's Ministry of Justice target in enforcement actions?
The Ministry of Justice concentrated investigative resources on three major crime categories threatening public livelihood: voice phishing, financial and digital asset crimes, and narcotics. The Seoul Dongbu District Prosecutors' Office arrested 471 for voice phishing (169 detained), the Seoul Nambu District Prosecutors' Office arrested 304 for financial and virtual asset crimes (25 detained), and the Narcotics Crime Joint Investigation Headquarters arrested 246 cases (125 detained).
