29 April 2025 , 20:18
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Prosecutors in South Korea say younger gang members are fueling a resurgence in organized crime, blending violence with online scams that have defrauded thousands.
Police in South Korea have arrested 97 suspected gang members following a three-year investigation, media outlets reported Monday. Prosecutors in Incheon indicted the suspects in a crackdown targeting a new wave of organized crime fueled by younger recruits blending traditional violence with modern scams.
The suspects reportedly belong to the Ganseok Sikkupa, Juan Sikkupa, Kkolmangpa—also known as Sinpodoeng Sikkupa—and Bupyeong Sikkupa gangs. They face charges under the Act on the Punishment of Violence and other offenses.
The investigation found that many younger "Generation MZ" members—a term referring to millennials and Generation Z—are expanding criminal operations into online scams, including cryptocurrency fraud and fake lottery schemes, which have defrauded thousands of citizens.
Among the crimes detailed, a Bupyeong Sikkupa member in his 20s allegedly assaulted two junior members with a baseball bat and later tried to pin the blame on another suspect. Other members reportedly assaulted pedestrians in downtown areas, extorted citizens over debt repayments, engaged in a mass brawl at a restaurant in Yeonsu District in December, and stole a luxury watch worth about 120 million won ($83,550) in March.
Several suspects were also indicted for operating fake lottery websites, defrauding around 5,000 victims of roughly 5.1 billion won ($3.55 million), as well as committing used-car and cryptocurrency fraud totaling more than 1.4 billion won ($974,700).
Prosecutors noted that, unlike previous generations, younger gang members tend to form and dissolve groups around specific crimes, often sharing information via social media. They warned that the spread of voice phishing, cryptocurrency scams and other cybercrimes is now directly targeting ordinary citizens.
Officials added that many young recruits openly flaunt gang affiliations online and indulge in public displays of gangster behavior, only to later express regret upon realizing the grim reality of organized crime. Authorities said they plan to continue preventive education efforts, stressing that simply joining a gang can carry severe legal consequences.
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