[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Eun-young] As of 2019, the country with the highest number of detained overseas Koreans was Japan, and the most common type of crime was drug-related offenses.
According to data submitted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to Yoon Gun-young of the Democratic Party of Korea on the 1st, the total number of detained overseas Koreans was 1,244 as of the end of last year.
The number of detained overseas Koreans was 1,239 in 2016, 1,337 in 2017, and 1,319 in 2018, remaining around 1,300 each year and maintaining a similar level over four years.
The country where the most Koreans were detained was Japan, accounting for about one-third of all detained overseas Koreans with 441 people as of 2019. Following Japan, China ranked second with 280 detainees, and the United States ranked third with 184 detainees.
By type of crime, drug offenses accounted for 26.7% of detainees in 2019, ranking first.
Regarding this, Representative Yoon pointed out, "The diplomatic authorities provide consular assistance when our nationals are detained, but they do not provide separate legal assistance such as lawyers," and stated, "The protection of overseas Koreans should be expanded by extending at least minimal legal assistance for our nationals abroad."
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