65 arrested in 'revenge-for-hire' crackdown; Telegram operator who fled to Vietnam detained

South Korean police have cracked down on a wave of "revenge-for-hire" crimes, arresting 65 people and detaining 23 over the last ten months. These incidents, which involve individuals being hired to carry out acts of retribution, have seen a total of 87 cases reported across the country since August of the previous year.

Recent operations have focused on dismantling the organizational structure behind these crimes. Police in Incheon apprehended four operatives involved in nine revenge-for-hire cases in areas including Incheon, Busan, Gyeonggi, Gyeongbuk, and Jeju. Crucially, they also arrested a Telegram channel operator on June 15th, who is suspected of being the mastermind behind the criminal network.

The arrested operator allegedly created the Telegram channel in April and directed revenge-for-hire operations. After two operatives were caught in May, the operator fled to Vietnam but reportedly continued to orchestrate two more crimes before being apprehended upon his return to South Korea. Financial facilitators were also arrested in Daegu, who used untraceable accounts and cryptocurrency to handle payments, evading police detection.

Police noted a surge in these crimes from January to March, followed by a lull after a significant bust in late March. However, the incidents resurged in late April before a recent crackdown on higher-level figures led to a sharp decline. The National Police Agency emphasized that both those who carry out and commission these revenge-for-hire acts face mandatory arrest, urging the public to avoid engaging in such activities, even out of curiosity or for perceived high-paying part-time work.