By Park Si-soo
Staff Reporter

The Supreme Prosecutors’ Office said Tuesday it has launched a new investigation unit specializing in organized crime committed by foreign gangs.

The unit is to collect intelligence on ethnic gangs and other organized foreigners engaged in illegal activities, that have sprouted up around the country in recent years, and take countermeasures in cooperation with the police, tax agency and immigration office, it said in a statement.

The unit had its first meeting at the prosecution headquarters in Seoul, Tuesday morning, with senior officers from the Ministry of Justice, National Police Agency, Tax Agency and provincial prosecutors’ offices participating.

“This is a response to growing calls to make a unit against foreign offenders whose number is on the rise,” said Cho Young-gon, the senior prosecutor commanding the unit.

“No leniency will be shown in dealing with foreign offenders. Basically, arrested foreign criminals will be treated the same as Korean criminals and, if necessary, we will seek the help of the immigration authorities to decide whether to deport them.”

A growing number of ethnic gangs are cropping up, particularly within their own communities around the country including Seoul, and in some cases, are linking up with Korean gangs.

According to the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office, the number of foreigners arrested was tallied at about 5,000 in 2000. It doubled to 10,000 in 2003. In 2008 alone, a total of 34,108 foreign offenders were caught.

For instance, more than 1,800 were arrested in Gyeonggi Province in the latest crackdown between June and July by police.Their nationalities are varied.

A source from the National Intelligence Service (NIS) said those from Nigeria, Pakistan, China, Taiwan, Vietnam and Bangladesh account for the majority of foreign criminal groups. The source added they collect funds by running illegal casinos and brothels, and by engaging in the drug trade and loan sharking.

Foreign law experts here welcomed the move, saying this will play an important role in keeping Korean citizens and businesses away from “emerging threats.”

But they added that for the officials involved, being familiar with the uniqueness of foreign culture and languages are prerequisites to operation.

“One of the shortcomings that the prosecution has always had was the lack of those with adequate language skills and abilities to understand the uniqueness of foreign cultures,” said Sean Hayes, a New York attorney working with Joowon Law Firm in Seoul. “The need for international cooperation, prosecutor and police foreign exchange programs, and international education programs is on the rise with the increasing complexity of crimes and ethnic diversity of Korean society.”

But they added that for the officials involved, being familiar with the uniqueness of foreign culture and languages are prerequisites to operation.

“One of the shortcomings that the prosecution has always had was the lack of those with adequate language skills and abilities to understand the uniqueness of foreign cultures,” said Sean Hayes, a New York attorney working with Joowon Law Firm in Seoul. “The need for international cooperation, prosecutor and police foreign exchange programs, and international education programs is on the rise with the increasing complexity of crimes and ethnic diversity of Korean society.”

pss@koreatimes.co.kr