The number of gangsters closely watched by the prosecution has surpassed 10,000 since the government started a nationwide crackdown on organized crime from the mid-1990s.

According to Rep. Choi Byung-gook of the Grand National Party Monday, a total of 471 criminal organizations here are under strict surveillance. The prosecution says they are aware of 11,476.

Among the organizations, 167 have been officially classified as criminal organizations by courts.

The Busan District Public Prosecutors' Office was found to have monitored the largest number of gangsters of 1,833 in 101 organizations, followed by the Suwon office with 1,581 in 45 organizations and the Gwangju office with 1,542 in 33 organizations.

''In March, the government revised regulations to tighten its control over criminal organizations,'' said an official at the Supreme Public Prosecutor's Office.

pss@koreatimes.co.kr