South Korea busts fake asylum ring involving 131 Vietnamese nationals

People are seen at Incheon International Airport in South Korea, April 2025. Photo by VnExpress/Minh Nga

South Korean authorities have uncovered a criminal network that fabricated asylum applications for 131 Vietnamese nationals.

Citing immigration officials, The Korea Times reported that a 68-year-old broker and 10 other suspects have been referred to prosecutors. The group is suspected of arranging fake refugee claims for foreigners living in South Korea in exchange for illicit brokerage fees.

The Seoul Immigration Office announced on Tuesday that the lead broker faces prosecution for allegedly violating the Immigration Act. The 10 accomplices, who include several naturalized South Korean citizens of Vietnamese origin, were also referred to prosecutors but have not been detained.

Investigators revealed that between December 2024 and October 2025, the network collected approximately 400 million won (US$267,000) from their clients.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the majority of these applicants were residing in South Korea on seasonal worker permits or short-term visas during that period.

Despite knowing the applicants did not meet the legal criteria for refugee status, the suspects allegedly accepted payments to create false claims, allowing the individuals to legally prolong their stay in the country.

To evade detection, the group fabricated detailed personal histories and instructed the applicants to memorize them for their asylum interviews. Furthermore, the suspects dispersed the fraudulent applications across 21 different immigration offices nationwide to minimize scrutiny from authorities.