The situation facing Koreans in the Philippines may be aptly compared to "ugly Koreans in the land of outlaws." The government has tried a variety of ways, including financing Manila's police force, to address a high crime rate against Koreans there but with no visible success. Thereby, a change in approach for more than handout programs is called for to tackle this issue that appears to be only getting worse.
The numbers are stunning. Thirty-four Koreans have been murdered since 2013 ― more than 10 a year ― in the tropical nation that has become popular for retirees. Even more appalling is that in 18 cases, not a single suspect has been apprehended. Last year alone, out of 34 Koreans killed overseas, 11 victims were in the Philippines, the largest in a single country. Plus, it is estimated that 200 Koreans being sought by Korean law are taking refuge there. This comes against the fact that there are about 85,000 Koreans living there, with over a million Korean tourists visiting the nation a year.
There appear to be many reasons why Koreans fall as easy victims. Above all, the Philippines is a nation where law and order are scarcely adhered to, what with illegal firearms easy to acquire and plenty of poor people ready to serve as guns for hire.
According to a report in the Korean language Joongang Ilbo, guns were the weapon of choice in most murders involving Korean victims. Last December, four gunmen shot to death a Korean in his residence south of Manila.
One notable thing is that none of the victims were tourists. This may be interpreted with some corroborating evidence that the victims are from the increasing number of Koreans flocking to the nation on the promise of retiring happily on a reasonable sum of money, without fully understanding the catches that come with it. For instance, the way they spend is bound to attract the attention of Filipino criminals.
Plus, the tendency among some Koreans to look down on people from Southeast Asia may have also been in play. Although the exact cause has not been determined, the prime suspect in the killing of a former university professor, who died from a wound from a sharp object, was a maid working for him.
Now, the Korean police are educating the Philippines police and augmenting the number of Korean policemen on the so-called Korean Desk with three times as many officers as before. But this could easily end up as a short-term solution because of the chronic shortage of police there and the high level of corruption. A real solution starts back in Korea with those opting for a Philippines retirement to study what they should expect in their new home. More importantly, respect for the local people should be at the top of their lessons.
The numbers are stunning. Thirty-four Koreans have been murdered since 2013 ― more than 10 a year ― in the tropical nation that has become popular for retirees. Even more appalling is that in 18 cases, not a single suspect has been apprehended. Last year alone, out of 34 Koreans killed overseas, 11 victims were in the Philippines, the largest in a single country. Plus, it is estimated that 200 Koreans being sought by Korean law are taking refuge there. This comes against the fact that there are about 85,000 Koreans living there, with over a million Korean tourists visiting the nation a year.
There appear to be many reasons why Koreans fall as easy victims. Above all, the Philippines is a nation where law and order are scarcely adhered to, what with illegal firearms easy to acquire and plenty of poor people ready to serve as guns for hire.
According to a report in the Korean language Joongang Ilbo, guns were the weapon of choice in most murders involving Korean victims. Last December, four gunmen shot to death a Korean in his residence south of Manila.
One notable thing is that none of the victims were tourists. This may be interpreted with some corroborating evidence that the victims are from the increasing number of Koreans flocking to the nation on the promise of retiring happily on a reasonable sum of money, without fully understanding the catches that come with it. For instance, the way they spend is bound to attract the attention of Filipino criminals.
Plus, the tendency among some Koreans to look down on people from Southeast Asia may have also been in play. Although the exact cause has not been determined, the prime suspect in the killing of a former university professor, who died from a wound from a sharp object, was a maid working for him.
Now, the Korean police are educating the Philippines police and augmenting the number of Korean policemen on the so-called Korean Desk with three times as many officers as before. But this could easily end up as a short-term solution because of the chronic shortage of police there and the high level of corruption. A real solution starts back in Korea with those opting for a Philippines retirement to study what they should expect in their new home. More importantly, respect for the local people should be at the top of their lessons.
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