Police declare intensive crackdown on illegal private lending

Police on Wednesday announced an intensive crackdown on illegal private lending crimes, along with measures to root out such crimes that include deploying dedicated investigators and stronger protections for victims.

The Korean National Police Agency's National Office of Investigation said it has devised a comprehensive plan to eradicate crimes related to illegal private lending, focusing on breaking the chain of criminal activity, conducting systematic investigations and implementing tailored preventive measures.

As methods of illegal private lending and debt collection have become increasingly sophisticated, the need for more comprehensive countermeasures has become more pressing, the office said.

The police will assign at least one dedicated investigator to each of the 105 police stations throughout the country with an average of more than 20 illegal private lending cases each per year.

The authority to request the suspension of phone numbers used for illegal debt collection will be expanded to all police station chiefs nationwide.

The police will also push to establish a system that c ...