Busan Metropolitan City has become a local action base for international crime, including the Russian Mafia and the Japanese Yakuza. The situation is being investigated through intelligence organizations.

Referring to the flow of foreign gangs into the nation, the Busan region has faced an increase of criminal cases in recent years, especially, large drug crimes in connection with organized groups are tops in the country.

The ‘Status report of international criminal organizations’ was presented to National Assemblyman Won Heh-young at the Yeol-rin Woori political party and belonging to the National Intelligence Commission. It was produced by the national intelligence agency on October 23. Currently the Russian Mafia has made advances into Korea with ten groups including Yakut, Petlock, and Aleksej.

The far east mafia has a national liaison organization trading Russian marine products to shipping companies or marine firms in the Busan region.
Particularly, it is suggested that there is serious collusion between the Russian Maga and the Yakut in Korea so entry of the boss of the Russian Mega was prohibited. However, the boss already entered Busan aboard a Chinese vessel in July this year. Moreover, some gangs are exposed when they sent Russian women to Busan through a Russian human advance agency.

In the case of the Japanese Yakuza which entered Korea, the number reaches to 21 including Yamaguchigumi and Smiyosikai.

Yamaguchigumi has about 20,000 members and created a mobile gambling business in Busan after sending seven members in 2004. They were prosecuted when they made a violent contract business and hired national hoodlums.

Two members from the Tokyo Yakuza Massbakai were arrested for bringing in Philopon at the end of 2003.

Leader Kim Jae-hak, Korean resident in Japan belonging to Sakaumegumi, stayed at a Seoul hotel in February last year. He was involved in real estate trading with Chilseong leader, some Lee (62), with whom Kim shares some special brotherhood.

Reflecting the ‘rush’ of foreign gangsters into Busan, foreign criminals who were arrested for committing various crimes reached 241 in 2003, 669 in 2004 and 831 in 2004.

Until July this year, 496 have been prosecuted so far, which amounts to an increase of over 60 percent compared to previous years.

According to records of criminal activity in the nation in 2005 compiled by the Ministry of Justice, Busan has 21 cases per hundred thousand people for drug crimes, which makes Busan the major region. With murder, burglary, arson and rape, Busan comes second after Seoul, which reaches 34 cases per hundred thousand people.

입력시간: 2006. 10.24. 08:53