19 Uzbek Citizens Wanted for Crimes Sought in South Korea

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — South Korean authorities were seeking 19 Uzbek citizens as of 12 August who are wanted for crimes committed outside the country.

South Korean law enforcement agencies were searching for a total of 110 foreign nationals, Yonhap reported, citing data from the National Police Agency of South Korea.

Uzbek citizens ranked second by number among foreign nationals in South Korea who had been placed on an international wanted list.

Chinese citizens accounted for the largest group, with 40 people, or 36% of the total. Mongolian citizens ranked third, with 17 people.

Fraud was the most common offense for which foreign nationals were wanted, accounting for 47 cases.

Another 29 cases involved other crimes, including kidnapping, unlawful confinement and human trafficking for sexual exploitation.

In addition, seven people were wanted in connection with drug-related crimes, five for theft, five for traffic violations and another five for assault.

South Korea has stepped up efforts this year to locate foreign criminals. The National Police Agency increased the number of officers handling such cases from 22 to 64.

According to the agency, the expansion of the unit was accompanied by an increase in the number of wanted foreign nationals returned to their countries.

From January through August 2026, 24 people were returned, compared with 13 for all of 2025, representing an increase of almost twofold.