South Korean ambassador vows to weed out ‘bad Koreans’ from PH

PAMPANGA, Philippines – The South Korean ambassador to the Philippines vowed to weed out so-called “bad Koreans,” particularly members of the “Korean Mafia,” and deport them back to South Korea.

Ambassador Kim Jae-Shin gave this assurance during a consultative meeting between the Philippine National Police (PNP), the South Korean embassy, the Korean Community Association-Central Luzon, and the local governments of Pampanga and Angeles City at Royce Hotel in Clark Freeport Zone on Wednesday evening, February 15.

“Regarding the Korean Mafia, if you will inform us [about] any of those people, we will do our best to return those people back to our country… and we hope that the good and kind Koreans would continue to visit this country. We are striving hard to return all of those Korean mafias and bad people back to our country,” Kim said through an interpreter, drawing applause from some 200 Koreans present.

Kim was responding to the observation aired by Pampanga Vice Governor Dennis Pineda about some criminal cases in which Koreans victimized other Koreans in Angeles City and other parts of Pampanga. (READ: Koreans and crime in Angeles City)

Pineda sought South Korean embassy officials’ help in going after Koreans who connive with police scalawags to victimize fellow Koreans living in the Philippines.

“Last year, we returned numerous fugitives back to our country,” the ambassador said. 

Kim also took stock of the recent reports about the presence and alleged illegal activities of Korean Mafia members in the country.

“Recently there have been many news about Korean Mafia that are not based on facts and this was a very disappointing news. If you inform us of any of these mafias with factual basis and evidence, we will do our best to return these people back to our country,” he explained.

Kim also asked his compatriots to report to the South Korean embassy any illegal activities by their fellow Koreans.

Pampanga Governor Lilia Pineda, who hosted the consultative meeting, signed on Wednesday an executive order creating the Korean Assistance Office of the Pampanga provincial government. The office is chaired by Vice Governor Pineda and is composed of the department heads of the provincial capitol.

For his part, PNP Director General Ronald dela Rosa assured the Koreans living and doing business in the Philippines to trust the police, particularly the newly created counter-intelligence task force assigned to go after scalawag policemen.

“I would like to assure everyone that the Philippine National Police, with the support of the local governments of Pampanga and the city of Angeles, will do its best to secure every one of you. The Jee Ick Joo incident should be the last incident that victimized a Korean national,” he said.

Dela Rosa requested the Korean communities in Central Luzon to cooperate with the police and the local government units. Any harassment, any illegal activities, or any crime perpetrated by the police should be reported immediately,” Dela Rosa told the Koreans and gave them the hotline numbers of PNP counter-intelligence task force.

During the open forum, a member of the Korean Community Association-Central Luzon said that while they now know the hotline numbers they can call, it will not be easy for them since they have difficulty speaking English.

Vice Governor Pineda then assured the Koreans that the Pampanga Korean Assistance Office will hire interpreters who would assist Korean complainants.

Kim said there are some 90,000 Koreans living in the Philippines and around 20,000 of them are in Angeles City and other parts of Pampanga. – Rappler.com