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| A Chinese traveler suspected of stabbing a Korean woman to death at a church on Jeju Island is taken to a police station, Sept 17. The woman was declared dead on Sept 18. / Yonhap |
By Lee Jin-a
Police said they will intensify monitoring of foreigners on Jeju Island as the number of crimes committed by non-Koreans is increasing there.
Jeju police are considering lifting their anti-crime readiness from the current "Code 2" to "Code 1," under which police will be obliged to respond more quickly and aggressively to crimes involving foreigners.
According to Jeju Provincial Police Agency, 347 foreign suspects have been apprehended by police this year before the end of July, up 60 percent from the same period last year.
What's worrisome is that the number of serious crimes such as assaults, robberies and murders is increasing. The crime rate could be blamed for an increasing influx of Chinese visitors to Jeju on a visa waiver program, which leaves the island vulnerable to the arrival of Chinese people with "malicious intent," according to experts.
In response, Jeju Police will set up a team to tighten monitoring of suspicious foreign visitors, including those with criminal records, until the end of the year. Their crackdown will focus on foreign gangs, sex traffickers, drug dealers and illegal employment agencies. The police will also open a foreign affairs department to ensure efficient handling of foreign crimes.
