(Eagle News) — Three South Korean nationals wanted by authorities in Seoul for telecommunications fraud have been arrested in the Philippines, the Bureau of Immigration said.
Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said Lim Yeongjun, 36; Kwom Hyeoksoo, 49; and, Sim Dong Woo, 49; were, however, nabbed for operating clandestine call centers in Manila, which they used to trick and defraud their victims of more than 80 million won or more than $67,000, in violation of the Cybercrime Prevention Act.
According to the bureau, they deceived the victims by pretending that they were agents of lending institutions, and persuading the former to repay their supposed loans in advance in order to avail of “lower interest.”
Morente said the Koreans, who are all overstaying aliens, are also the subject of red notices from the Interpol.
He said their passports have already been revoked by the South Korean government, but since they are facing criminal charges also in the Philippines, they cannot be deported yet.
“It is only after these criminal charges are resolved, and upon completion of service of sentence, if they are convicted, that we will be able to deport them,” Morente said.