Seoul: The number of South Korean citizens imprisoned overseas has increased by more than 25 percent over the past four years, as revealed by a ruling party lawmaker on Thursday. The data, sourced from the foreign ministry, highlights a significant rise in the imprisonment of South Korean nationals abroad.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Rep. Kim Joon-hwan of the ruling Democratic Party reported that 1,325 South Korean nationals were held in prisons across 54 countries as of the end of June this year. This marks a 25.6 percent increase from the 1,055 individuals recorded in 2022. China leads the list with 424 cases, followed by Japan with 254, Vietnam with 204, the United States with 138, the Philippines with 61, Cambodia with 54, and Thailand with 43.

Vietnam experienced the most significant increase, with the number of imprisoned South Koreans rising nearly fivefold from 42 in 2022 to 204 this year. The statistics indicate that fraud is the most common reason for imprisonment, accounting for about a quarter of the cases with 332 instances. This is followed by drug-related crimes with 291, murder with 128, gambling with 91, theft with 69, and sexual assault or harassment with 52 cases.

Additionally, thirty-four South Koreans were incarcerated on charges of kidnapping linked to organized crimes, including employment scams. These figures underscore the challenges South Korean citizens face abroad and the need for strategic diplomatic engagement to address the issue.