Philippines deports 2 South Korean fugitives on Interpol red notice 

INQUIRER file photo / ALEXIS CORPUZ

MANILA, Philippines — Two South Korean fugitives wanted for electronic financial fraud have been deported by immigration authorities the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said.

In a statement on Tuesday, the BI identified the fugitives as Kwon Hyuckkeun, 41, and You Hyun Tea, 53, both listed under an Interpol red notice. They are subjects of criminal cases for alleged violations of South Korea’s Electronic Financial Transactions Act.

You and Kwon were arrested by immigration operatives last May and June, respectively, and sent back to their home country last August 21.

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The details of the arrest were not disclosed by the BI.

“Our counterparts in Seoul were informed about their impending arrival there,” said Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco, as quoted in the statement.

“Korean policemen apprehended them upon their arrival,” he added.

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According to Tansingco, the two were already ordered deported as early as 2021 for being undesirable aliens and fugitives from justice.

Kwon allegedly operated a call center that employed voice phishing to trick victims into sending their debit card details to the suspects who promised their money would yield profits in low-interest loan transactions.

Meanwhile, You allegedly conspired with an unnamed accomplice to operate an illegal sports gambling site on the internet.

Both Kwon and You were placed in the immigration blacklist and banned from re-entering the Philippines.