Korean Consul Lee Yong-Sang, who is also the police attaché of the Republic of Korea in Cebu, visits Acting Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella to assure that the reported presence of Korean fugitives in Cebu is being closely monitored. Lee said that Korean officials and the Philippine government are working hand in hand to ensure that all Koreans in Cebu remain law abiding.
President’s speech leads to two surrenders; most Koreans law abiding — Consul Lee Yong-Sang
OFFICIALS of the Korean Consulate in Cebu are appealing to Cebuanos not to “overreact” to the recent pronouncement of President Rodrigo Duterte about the supposed presence of a Korean mafia allegedly involved in illegal drugs and prostitution in Cebu.
Consul Lee Yong-Sang’s appeal came even as Korean officials revealed on Friday that at least two suspected gangsters surrendered to the Consular office following Duterte’s speech for fear that the Philippine government will run after them.
“Thanks also to your President’s speech, President Duterte already mentioned about threatening against Korean gangsters or Korean mafia, so some of them already surrendered before our Consulate office,” Consul Lee said.
Lee disclosed that Korean officials were pursuing at least three fugitives who fled to Cebu. Two of them, he said, surrendered to the Consulate following Duterte’s speech.
No other details of the surrender were made available.
In a visit to Acting Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella, Friday, Lee said that some Korean nationals have started to worry about the situation ever since Duterte made the pronouncement, while some Filipinos, he said, have started to “look down or misunderstand” Korean nationals.
“That’s the reason why Korean nationals, the people living in Cebu, feel sorry about this situation. The Consul General (Oh Sung-Yong) just wants to relay this message to your (Cebuano) society: Don’t make it snowballing,” he told reporters.
Lee, who is also the Korean Consulate’s police attaché in Cebu, said that Duterte’s statement was just the President’s way of also making the lives of Korean nationals in the country better.
“The President just (wants to) make Korean nationals peaceful and make them happy here. But the overreaction may bring some other problem,” Lee said.
There are around 25,000 Korean nationals living in Cebu, and most of them are law-abiding citizens, said Lee.
An estimated 8,000 to 9,000 Koreans are actively engaged in Cebu businesses like shops and restaurants.
He also assured that South Korean officials were partnering with Philippine law enforcement agencies to ensure that no Korean gangsters or fugitives could operate here.
Since his assignment to Cebu in September 2014, Lee said that 18 Korean fugitives had already been deported, mostly due to estafa cases.
The number of Korean fugitives or gangsters in Cebu “are comparatively not so serious,” Lee said.
The Korean community in Cebu is also vigilant in guarding against gangsters and fugitives, he added.
“They also make harmony with Filipinos and the Filipino community in Cebu. Until now, there are no problems. They live happily with Filipino friends. Just let them live here peacefully,” Consul Lee appealed.
“I’m glad he came and assured us that they will work closely with us. He said we have also provided security and safety for them that’s why Cebu is the number one destination for Koreans because it is peaceful and orderly in the city,” Labella said.