[Asia Report] 'Gyeonggi-do Da Nang City' Must Become the Frontline of Korean Security

Exploiting Geographical Features and Loose Crackdowns
Rising Crimes Led by Koreans and Taiwanese
Government Must Take Active Measures to Ensure Public Safety

The recently released blockbuster film series ‘The Outlaws,’ which has attracted great popularity, and the Disney Plus drama ‘Casino’ share several commonalities. The most notable is that Southeast Asia serves as the backdrop for the crimes. Korean criminals based in places like the Philippines, Vietnam, and Thailand commit offenses such as illegal gambling, online betting, drug trafficking, kidnapping, and ransom demands. Money-related crimes like money laundering, tax evasion, and violence are also consistent elements.

A scene from the Southeast Asia?set movie 'The Outlaws'

Unlike before, audiences now strongly empathize. This is because traveling to, long-term residence in, and business investment in Asia and the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) region have become commonplace. For example, Da Nang City in central Vietnam is often called ‘Gyeonggi-do Da Nang City’ due to the large number of Koreans visiting. During peak seasons, tens of thousands of Korean tourists stay in Vietnam.

‘Gyeonggi-do Da Nang City, Manila City...’ Loose Borders, Legal Systems

As exchanges with Southeast Asia increase, the demand for security has surged. In the past, suspects were often simply deported in cooperation with local police, but now police officers dispatched on-site have become the subject of films. This is because Koreans have appeared not only as victims but as active perpetrators. While previously only the Philippines was considered a dangerous area, now the scope has expanded to the entire ASEAN region.

Experts agree that security in Southeast Asia is not weaker than in the West. In fact, local residents rarely commit crimes against innocent foreign tourists. The problem lies with Korean criminals exploiting Southeast Asia’s loose legal systems and geographical advantages.

Why Southeast Asia? First, there are geographical characteristics. Southeast Asia includes remote inland areas like the Golden Triangle (Myanmar, Laos, Thailand), which are used as drug production and trafficking routes. Additionally, the region’s extensive coastlines, porous borders, and dense jungles easily undermine government crackdowns. With many neighboring countries and easy border crossings, it is also suitable for concealment.

The region’s characteristic polarized economic society is another important factor. Severe poverty and lack of legitimate employment opportunities in some areas lead individuals to engage in drug trafficking or gambling for survival or income. A bigger problem is corruption and weak governance. Corruption within law enforcement, judicial systems, and government agencies allows criminal networks to operate with impunity, fostering illegal activities. In spaces with weak regulatory enforcement, foreign (Korean) offenders can easily set up illegal gambling servers or carry out kidnapping threats.

Differences in perceptions of crime also exacerbate the problem. Social tolerance for gambling and drug use inevitably differs between Southeast Asia and Northeast Asia. For example, traditional forms of gambling such as cockfighting, card games, and mahjong enjoyed by the Chinese diaspora are deeply connected to local customs. In fact, marijuana was briefly legalized in Thailand until last year.

Sharing a Wide Border with China

Koreans are not the only targets of crime in Southeast Asia. Relatively affluent Taiwanese, Chinese, and Singaporeans are also victims. In 2022, Taiwan was shocked by a mega scandal called the ‘Cambodia Connection,’ where young people who responded to online job ads and traveled to Cambodia were confined there and exploited for organized crimes such as illegal online marketing, phishing, and organ trafficking. The number of victims reached thousands, causing a major social impact in Taiwan.

Singaporeans also frequently fall victim to online scams. They receive messages via messengers like Facebook and WhatsApp inviting them to visit Hong Kong, Taiwan, or Cambodia, with temptations including golf, massages, entertainment, and low-interest loans. The widespread presence of Chinese diaspora communities throughout Southeast Asia, who share language and communication, has increased vulnerability. The Singapore government has strictly cracked down on overseas entertainment activities and, considering the gambling-loving Chinese diaspora culture, changed policies to allow gambling domestically for an entrance fee.

A significant factor in Southeast Asian crime is the substantial presence of the Chinese diaspora. As mentioned earlier, many Chinese diaspora communities settled over multiple generations exist in Southeast Asia. They serve as links involved in gambling, drug trafficking, and other illegal enterprises. There are various historical and political backgrounds. First, China and Southeast Asia share a vast border, and many ethnic groups with identities in both regions exist. Exploiting these relationships, networks for smuggling, human trafficking, or other illegal businesses can be established.

However, the Chinese diaspora does not lead crime. As seen in the Taiwanese Cambodia kidnapping case, the crime was led by organized crime groups from Taiwan who had come over. The 2015 Pattaya murder case, which inspired ‘The Outlaws 4,’ also arose when Korean gangsters invited Korean IT developers to Thailand to create illegal online gambling sites. Locals are said to be exploited or coerced into participating in illegal activities by criminal organizations or groups.

The scope of crime, once limited domestically, is inevitably becoming international. Due to the development of low-cost airlines and communication technologies, it is easier for criminals to hide, and overseas locations are more suitable than domestic ones for generating illegal profits under the guise of business. Moreover, Southeast Asia offers a freer environment not permitted in Korea, attracting these criminals. Low living costs and cheap labor make it easy to find accomplices.

Above all, unlike closed Korea, Southeast Asia’s easy border crossings and lax government crackdowns make it easy for ‘transnational criminal organizations’ to thrive. Considering these characteristics, the Korean government’s efforts to secure public safety must be more international, intelligent, and proactive. This is because Koreans exist not only domestically but all over the world.

Jung Ho-jae, Visiting Scholar at the Asia Center, Seoul National University