The Bureau of Immigration (BI) intercepted at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) two more Korean fugitives who are wanted for fraud in their country.

BI Port Operations Chief Grifton Medina said that the two Koreans were intercepted separately at NAIA Terminal 3 last Aug. 14 and 16 by operatives from the Bureau’s Border Control and Intelligence Unit (BCIU).

Medina said that the passengers were apprehended after their names appeared in the registered BI Interpol database, which is linked with the bureau’s computer system, showing that they have derogatory records.

Both of them were subsequently deported to Seoul after BI coordinated with the Korean Embassy in expeditiously facilitating the fugitives' return to their country.

Medina attributed the fugitives arrest to the success of the partnership between BI and Interpol in going after foreign criminals who might enter and exit the country.

“There is no way these fugitives who in the Interpol’s wanted list will evade detection in our airports because our computer databases are interlinked on a real time basis,” he said.

Atty. Rommel Tacorda, BI-BCIU Chief, said 26-year-old Kim Sungwan was the first to be intercepted last Aug. 14 as he was about to board an Air Asia flight to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Kim is allegedly wanted for fraud and that he is the subject of two outstanding arrest warrants issued by Korean court.

On Aug. 16, Tacorda said 53-year-old Kim Sung Young was intercepted upon his arrival via a Cebu Pacific flight from Saigon, Vietnam. He is also wanted for fraud case amounting to 20 million won, who allegedly used a stolen passport in attempting to enter the country.

These said incidents were made after the BCIU reported last Aug. 9 capturing Korean fugitive at NAIA named Jang Hongsuk, 38 yers old, who is likewise wanted for fraud in Korea. He was thereafter deported. DMS