19 Uzbek citizens put on wanted list in South Korea
19 Uzbek citizens put on wanted list in South Korea
In South Korea, 110 foreign citizens who committed crimes abroad and are hiding in the country are being sought. It is reported that 19 of them are citizens of Uzbekistan.
Among the wanted foreigners, Chinese citizens constitute the largest group with 40 people. This is followed by citizens of Uzbekistan (19), Mongolia (17), Vietnam (13), Kazakhstan (8), Russia (7), and Kyrgyzstan (2).
The majority of the wanted foreigners, namely 47 people, are suspected of fraud. The remaining cases are related to offenses such as violation of minors' rights, kidnapping, and prostitution (29 cases), drug trafficking (7 cases), theft, traffic violations, and causing bodily harm (5 cases each). It is unknown exactly which crimes the citizens of Uzbekistan are accused of.
In September, four Uzbek citizens suspected of aiding a terrorist group in Syria were detained in South Korea. They are alleged to have sent money and vehicles to the terrorist group.
The main suspect, in his 30s, sent cryptocurrency worth 6.3 million won ($4,600) over a period of about eight months since April 2025 to the group "Katibat al-Tawhid wal-Jihad," which is on the UN's list of terrorist organizations. He also received cryptocurrency from this group during the same period. With these funds, the man purchased 11 used cars and 2 excavators in South Korea with a total value of 170 million won and sent them to Syria.
The "Katibat al-Tawhid wal-Jihad" group, which is linked to "Al-Qaeda," was declared a terrorist organization by the UN in 2022. Investigators say the suspect had no official connection to the group. He began supporting the organization after contacting his brother, who was a member of the group.