Korean scam suspect barred Phl entry

A South Korean national wanted in Seoul for alleged fraud and money laundering was refused entry into the Philippines, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said.

BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado identified the passenger as 26-year-old Hwang Hyeonjun, who was intercepted at Mactan-Cebu International Airport on Feb. 5 after arriving from Vietnam aboard a Philippine Airlines flight.

Immigration officers flagged Hwang after his name generated an alert in the bureau’s system, prompting verification with international authorities.

BI Interpol chief Peter De Guzan confirmed that the National Central Bureau Seoul had issued an active red notice against him.

Authorities said Hwang was allegedly linked to a telecommunications-based fraud ring accused of laundering criminal proceeds. The syndicate reportedly posed as bank employees in phone scams that convinced victims to transfer substantial sums.

In one case on record, a victim allegedly lost KRW 10 million in a bogus debt consolidation loan scheme. The money was reportedly collected by accomplices following Hwang’s instructions, converted into cryptocurrency, and funneled into digital wallets controlled by the group.

The BI said Hwang was excluded under the Philippine Immigration Act for being a fugitive from justice and for posing a threat to public interest. He has been placed on the bureau’s blacklist, permanently barring him from re-entering the country.