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Top 15 Things to Know About Korean Organized Crime

*Originally Published by Purity in April 2023 and Updated by Nellian in March 2024.

South Korea is among the countries in the Asia Pacific region with the best order and security. Surprisingly, however, a 2022 crime awareness survey revealed that 63% of people in South Korea thought that crime was a serious issue.

Moreover, like in most societies, organized crime has always existed in Korea. The  Asian nation has had a period when organized gangs controlled its government. There has since been a rise and decline in organized criminal activities; over the years, the methods have changed. This article reveals some noteworthy facts to remember about Korean organized crime. Take a look.

1. Korean organized crime has its origins in the Japanese and Yakuza occupation

Yakuza members are showing off their tattoos in a festival by Apes-Abroad.

The origin of Korean organized crime can be traced back to the early 20th Century when the Yakuza came to occupy the Korean peninsula. It stayed under Japanese rule for 30 years, starting from 1910, and the Japanese Yakuza, already notorious for organized crime, stayed alongside them.

Thus, the activities of the Yakuza at this time included the smuggling of goods, drug trafficking, prostitution, extortion, and adult entertainment. Apart from their string of known illegal activities, they also ran legitimate markets and bars, giving them more control. They ran their vast scale of illicit activities from Seoul and seemed to dominate the South, even though many existed in the North.

Furthermore, due to Japanese occupation, many Koreans lost land in the countryside, necessitating a large-scale migration to urbanize Seoul. Many young Koreans were affected by this state of things, which would eventually produce the first natural Korean gangsters. Among these was a man named Hayashi, who would later on, in the 1930s, take over from his Yakuza boss Toyama Mitsuru.

Read more: Gangsters in Japan; 10 Fascinating Facts about the Yakuza.

2. Organized crime has quite a long history in Korea

Organized crime continued to evolve in Korea under the now-liberated natives. The first real Korean gangster became Hayashi, who previously worked under the Yakuza in Japan. Through the 1930s, he managed to bring the entire region of Myeong-dong, Chungmuro, and Eulji-ro under his rule.

However, the Yakuza remained a threat, and many Korean gangs kept competing for control. Others like Kim Ki-hwan, who dominated Jongno, the theatre district of Seoul, and ran the thriving Umikan theatre, were equally prominent.

By 1935, the likes of Hayashi had lost their influence, and Kim Ki-hwan was sent to prison, allowing a young gangster named Kim Du-han to unify all gangs under him. As a result, Korea gained complete liberation in 1945, and the major teams were absorbed into politics. Later, between the 1960s and 80s, a new generation emerged and changed the game’s rules.

What’s more, they did anything for money, including threats and violence, allowing them to expand their influence to legitimate businesses. They controlled construction, finance, the entertainment industry, massage parlors, and karaoke bars. Crime families such as the Yang-euni emerged and ran organized crimes. Traces of this generation of criminals have survived until now.

3. The first generation of Korean gangsters was viewed as heroes

The era of Yakuza domination was not without cost. Turf wars became a norm in those days as Japanese and Korean gangsters fought. However, there was a terrible injustice whenever government authorities stepped in. The Japanese were powerful enough to be allowed to get away with the violence, while Koreans got arrested or forced into the army. As a result, people began to view Korean gangsters fighting the Japanese as heroes.

Until the liberation, Koreans like Kim Du-han became the people’s hope. This was perhaps made more apparent when, after their release, Korea became divided over the ideologies of capitalism and communism.

Subsequently, the North had assistance from the communist Soviet Union, whereas the United States had liberated the South under capitalist ideals. In 1948, when the nation finally split into North and South Korea, Kim Du-han was honored in the South with a political seat for his heroism and anti-communism.

Have a look at the 10 Most Famous Chinese Gangsters.

4. Organized crime played a significant role in the politics of Korea’s early years

In post-occupation Korea, Kim Du-han’s Umikan Gang members were split into left-wingers and right-wingers and were at the forefront of both ideologies. Kim led the right-wing sect and often instigated terrorist attacks on their opponents.

On top of that, while many of the Umikan’s rackets continued in the streets, Kim Du-han had transferred most of his followers to the government, and they were now running it. Though they called themselves the Liberal Party, the government was anti-liberal, nationalist, anti-communist, and authoritarian.

Besides, leaders of future gangs would later emerge from this group to form bands like the Dongdaemon and Myeongdong Gangs, which featured in the 1950s. The Dongdaemons, for instance, would help the government make anti-liberal films to perpetuate their propaganda. While their counterparts, the Myeongdong gang, focused on money making, the Dongdaemon gang influenced the political scene through bullying and terrorism.

5. New-generation Korean gangsters are thought to be considerably weaker than the early ones

Korea’s crime groups have weakened over the years. While gangs like the Chillsung-pa and the New 20^th Century Gang still operate, they have lesser influence than their predecessors. 

Furthermore, there is no unity among teams as they all operate independently. To their credit, Korean gangs are known to work in the diaspora, although this may also be a testament to their gradual weakening.

Better still, a distinguishing feature of the old criminal organizations is that they were made of fighters who did all within their power to make things go their way. Compared to the Korean crime groups of the older generations who were looked to for help against the Japanese, this generation’s gangs are entirely out of the game.

6. Korean organized crime thrives in various forms

Image by Tom Def-

Organized crime, though significantly reduced, currently thrives in different forms across the Korean nations. They include trade in people as the South is presently one of the known human trafficking destinations. Since most Northerners tend to escape southwards due to persecution in the North, a network of smugglers also exists to facilitate their immigration.

Moreover, women are significantly often taken advantage of and sold into sex work. While the illegal gun trade is currently meager, other illicit transactions, like the timber trade, are prevalent.

The network of organized criminals imports illegally harvested timber and facilitates their transit to other Asian countries. Another commonly traded item is drugs, even though the nation is neither a significant consumer nor producer of heroin, cannabis, or cocaine. Instead, synthetic alternatives like methamphetamine dominate the market, and Korean crime syndicates are at the forefront. Recently, seizures of the notorious drug have been on the rise in Korea, indicating that their criminal underworld is not precisely done.

Read more on 10 Things to Know about Black Organized Crime in the U.S. from the 1920s until now.

7. Organized crime families with unwavering ideologies propel crime activities

Crime families have been a feature of Korean organized crime ever since the third wave in the 1980s. In 1993, when the Chijon Family was formed, it was still going strong. The gang offers a clear example of the role played by ideologies in the carrying out organized crime in Korea. When three members, Kim Gi-hwan, Moon Sang-rok, and Kim Hyun-yang, met at a poker game in the summer of 1993, they each realized how much they hated the rich.

Thus, this led to the idea of forming a gang that would later recruit four others. Their ideology was composed of three doctrines; we hate the rich, a traitor must be killed, and do not trust women, not even your mother!

Additionally, their reign of terror was short-lived, and in November 1994, they were arrested and each sentenced to death. When it came out that during this period, they had targeted rich people and committed some murders, none of the gang showed remorse.

Check out the 10 Most Famous Mafia Families.

8. Current players in the world of Korean organized crime

They include both domestic and foreign-based mafia acting in decentralized criminal networks. The largest known mafia-style crime syndicate is South Korea’s Cheongha Wisaeng-pa. Others are the Chilseong-pa, Tongsongno-pa, and Shinsangsa-pa. Even though they are decentralized, a hierarchy exists among individual gangs.

Therefore, the top bosses are known as ‘Tumok’ and their immediate underlings as ‘pu-Tumok.’ The pu-tumok oversee the day-to-day operations and delegate duties to their underlings, known as ‘hangdog daechang’ (the captains). The influence of Korean syndicates extends to the business elite, who act as their advisors and are referred to as the ‘ko-mun.’

To boot, they deal in diverse markets, including the entertainment industry, drug smuggling, sex trafficking, extortion, and even real estate. Foreign mafia groups operating in Korea include the Chinese Triads, the Russian mafia, and some Japanese Yakuza. Most of these have majored in human trafficking, drug trafficking (Chiefly Methamphetamine), sex trade, and loan sharking.

Besides, despite the scarcity of evidence to support the claim, it is pretty much regarded as the standard for the networks to include several state acts, from powerful politicians to police officers and other government decision-makers.

9. Today’s organized crime has declined to near non-existence

A report from a 2022 survey reveals that South Korea is presently a hub for order and security and ranks among the safest in the Asia Pacific region. Even though several Koreans (63 percent) have expressed concern over insecurity in the country, most visitors have hailed it for its remarkably safe streets.

Indeed, the Korean authorities have recently made fewer arrests of people involved in organized crimes. The feeling of relative safety may be attributed to the effective gun laws, which have seen guns confiscated by the government, leaving few in the hands of civilians. Despite this, some crimes persist, including leaking personal information and sexual assault.   

10. One of the most powerful Korean gangsters was Lee Kang-hwan

The leader of the largest gangster group ‘Chulsung-pa’ meaning Seven Stars Gang, was Lee Kang-hwan. The gang leader was arrested in 2010 in Busan with the aid of a citizen’s report.

Moreover, the veteran criminal was charged with kidnapping and assaulting an unnamed Busan businessperson. In addition, he had reportedly been extorting money from the businessman regularly, which currently totals 400 million won ($330 000).

Furthermore, the businessman had borrowed 1 billion won from the gang leader, which the gang intended to get back in full. The case reveals that loan sharking and extortion are standard features of Korean organized crime. The crime boss, Lee Kang-hwan suffered bad health and later succumbed to complications related to a chronic illness he had been battling in July 2023, at the age of 80 years.

Have a look at the 10 Notorious Jewish-American Gangsters you should know.

11. Technology has influenced the operations of Korean organized crime

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Advancements in technology have reshaped the landscape of Korean organized crime, providing new avenues for criminal activities such as cybercrime and online fraud. The anonymity and global reach afforded by the digital realm have presented both challenges and opportunities for criminal organizations seeking to adapt and thrive in the modern era.

Moreover, Korean organized crime groups have embraced technological innovations, utilizing encrypted communication channels, leveraging cryptocurrencies for money laundering, and engaging in sophisticated cyber attacks and data breaches to further their illicit operations and evade law enforcement detection.

12. Globalization has increased international connections for Korean organized crime gangs

Korean organized crime maintains extensive international connections, collaborating with criminal syndicates from other countries to expand their operations and evade law enforcement scrutiny.

Subsequently, cross-border activities such as drug smuggling and human trafficking underscore the global reach of Korean criminal enterprises. These international partnerships and networks have allowed Korean crime groups to establish a foothold in various regions. Thus,  facilitating the movement of illegal goods, money laundering, and other illicit activities across borders, making it more challenging for authorities to dismantle their operations effectively.

13. Some societal behaviors have contributed to increased Korean organized crime

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The pervasive influence of Korean organized crime extends beyond its immediate criminal activities, exerting a profound impact on various aspects of Korean society. From corruption and violence to economic exploitation and social decay, the repercussions of organized crime are felt far and wide, undermining the fabric of society and eroding trust in institutions.

Furthermore, extortion and protection rackets have stifled legitimate business growth, while the illicit trade in drugs and human trafficking has contributed to the erosion of social values and the exploitation of vulnerable individuals.

14. The Korean government has enforced crackdowns to end criminal activities

In response to the threat posed by Korean organized crime, the Korean government has implemented many crackdowns and legislative measures aimed at dismantling criminal syndicates and disrupting their operations. But, the entrenched nature of these organizations and their ability to adapt present ongoing challenges for law enforcement agencies.

Additionally, despite efforts to toughen laws and increase penalties, Korean crime groups have proven resilient, often evolving their tactics and shifting their focus to new illegal ventures as law enforcement closes in on their traditional activities.

15. Some societal perceptions glorify Korean organized crime

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Despite efforts to combat Korean organized crime, societal perceptions of gangsters remain complex and multifaceted. While some view them with disdain and condemnation, others are drawn to the romanticized image of the outlaw, perpetuating myths and glorifying criminal behavior in popular culture.

Thus, this duality in perception can be attributed to various factors, including the historical role of some crime groups in resisting oppressive regimes, the perceived loyalty and honor codes within certain organizations, and the allure of power and wealth often associated with the criminal underworld.

Also, Korean pop culture has had an impact on the perception and representation of organized crime in the country. Popular movies, TV shows, and K-dramas have often portrayed gangsters and crime syndicates in a romanticized or glorified manner, potentially influencing public perception and even recruitment efforts.

Korean organized crime is a multifaceted phenomenon with deep historical roots and far-reaching implications for Korean society. From its origins in the Japanese occupation to its modern-day manifestations, understanding the complexities of Korean organized crime is essential for addressing the challenges it poses and safeguarding the well-being of communities.