Police Arrest Members of Notorious Gang Involved in Online Crimes

On July 17, 2025, the Seoul Metropolitan Police announced the arrest of 39 members of the organized crime group known as 'Jinseongpa' (진성파), including a 40-year-old leader identified as A. This gang, which has been operating since 1983, was involved in various illegal online activities such as running gambling websites, investment fraud, and money laundering. The police reported that nine of the arrested individuals have been detained, while two others have fled to Southeast Asia and are currently wanted.

According to police investigations, the Jinseongpa gang originated from a group of high school classmates who formed a violent student circle. Over the years, they expanded their criminal activities to include extortion from entertainment venues and debt collection. After the original members retired, younger members born in the 1980s took over, shifting the focus to online crimes, including operating gambling sites and distributing illegal SIM cards. These operations were often run as 'project teams' with 3 to 5 members selected from the organization.

The gang is accused of various crimes, including soliciting funds for the organization, coercing new members, assaulting fellow members, and aiding in the escape of members facing serious charges. Leader A is specifically charged with recruiting around 20 individuals, including local high school leaders and former gang members, and training them in the gang's hierarchy while living together in a dormitory in Geumcheon-gu, Seoul. He is also alleged to have raised approximately 110 million KRW for operational costs, meals, and legal settlements.

The Jinseongpa's code of conduct reportedly includes instructions to use Telegram's auto-delete feature to evade law enforcement, to bow deeply as a sign of respect, and to carry weapons such as knives or metal pipes in preparation for conflicts with rival gangs.

Members trained to form emergency strike teams armed with weapons like knives, metal pipes, and baseball bats to assert their dominance during disputes. In May 2022, they confronted over ten members of another gang, and in November 2023, they were caught on camera practicing weapon use by stabbing a pile of 20-liter water bottles near their dormitory.

Additionally, the Jinseongpa gang was implicated in a September 2023 incident where members of the 'Bulsapa' (불사파) gang kidnapped and threatened a gallery representative in Gangnam. They allegedly provided shelter and escape funds to one of their members, B, who was under investigation to prevent the case from expanding to their organization.

The police emphasized that this operation marks a significant shift, as they have successfully demonstrated the collective and violent nature of the gang, applying charges related to organized crime for the first time. They noted that crimes committed by sophisticated gangs, such as operating illegal gambling and money laundering, are often difficult to prosecute due to their online and international nature, highlighting the need for a crackdown on the underlying organizations. The police plan to enhance intelligence gathering on organized crime and focus their investigative efforts to respond strongly to these threats.