HONG KONG Yonhap) -- The number of Koreans imprisoned in China reached 313 as of the end of last year, Korean government officials said Monday, indicating a growing number of South Korean nationals legally accused in the neighboring country.
The total number of South Korean prisoners in China increased 3 percent in 2011 from the previous year's 304, the Korean embassy in Beijing said.
Those imprisoned in the northeastern city of Shenyang accounted for 55 percent with 167 people, followed by 70 in Qingdao, 24 in Beijing and Guangzhou, respectively, and 17 in Shanghai.
Long-term prisoners who are sentenced five years or more made up 83 percent.
Many of the South Korean prisoners were charged with narcotic crimes, fraud, mediation of illegal departures from China, smuggling, burglary, assault and murder.
The total number of criminal incidents involving Koreans was 1,934 cases in 2011, down 7.6 percent on-year.
Among them, 350 cases were in which Koreans were sentenced wrongdoers, while 1,934 cases were in which South Koreans were victims.
The majority of illegalities committed by Koreans were prosecuted in Shenyang, Beijing and Shanghai, the embassy officials said, without giving the detailed numbers.
Last year, 118 South Koreans died in China, 18 of whom were of confirmed to have committed suicide.