BI intercepts South Korean fugitive at NAIA

MANILA, Philippines — A South Korean man wanted in his home country for allegedly operating an illegal online gaming business was intercepted at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), the Bureau of Immigration (BI) reported Monday.

BI identified the South Korean national as 23-year-old Ju Minhyeok who was intercepted at NAIA Terminal 1 last April 16 after attempting to board an Aseana Airlines flight to Incheon.

“The immigration officer who processed him saw that his name is in our Interpol watchlist, with our counterparts abroad requesting alert if he is encountered,” BI port operations division chief Grifton Medina said in a statement.

Medina said Ju was eventually allowed to board the flight upon receiving information that South Korean authorities were already waiting for him in his home country.

“He was arrested upon his arrival at the Incheon airport where operatives from the cybercrime investigation squad of the Busan police were waiting for him,” Medina said.

Lawyer Rommel Tacorda, BI-Interpol chief, said Ju allegedly engaged in illegal gambling activities while conspiring with other Korean suspects in operating several online gambling websites that solicited and accepted bets from Korean customers.

This was in violation of South Korea’s national sports promotion act.

“Korean authorities charged that the suspects ran the sites called ‘Deadpool’ through which bettors could win or lose money by predicting the results of various sports competitions,” Tacorda said.

The Busan district court issued a warrant for Ju’s arrest last April 11, prompting the Interpol to issue a red notice against him.