How has the number of fraud cases reported by foreign nationals in South Korea changed?

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Fraud reports by foreign nationals in South Korea have nearly quadrupled from 2023 to 2025.

The number of fraud cases reported by foreign nationals rose from 5,307 in 2023 to 19,907 in 2025, according to South Korea’s National Police Agency. That is an increase of 14,600 cases in two years, or almost four times as many reports.
The rise was measured over a two-year period
The figures compare 2023 with 2025, showing a sharp jump in complaints by foreign nationals. The increase was reported as nearly quadrupling over that period.
The cases were linked to more overseas visitors
The rise came as more international visitors travelled to South Korea for K-pop concerts, fan events and official merchandise. The country welcomed 18.94 million foreign visitors in 2025, up from 11.03 million in 2023.
Some scams involved concert tickets and fan goods
Some foreign fans lost money after paying people in South Korea to buy concert tickets or official merchandise for them. In these cases, the sellers disappeared after the money was transferred.
BTS concerts in Busan were one example
Police said five of the seven crimes reported by foreign nationals at BTS concerts in Busan on June 12 and 13 involved scams. The venue cases showed how the problem was affecting major fan events.

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How has the number of fraud cases reported by foreign nationals in South Korea changed?

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