Foreign riders with unregistered motorcycles become extortion targets

Nine people have been referred to prosecutors for allegedly targeting and threatening foreign nationals riding motorcycles without license plates in two cities in South Gyeongsang Province, police said Thursday.

Yangsan Police Station referred two suspects in their 20s to prosecutors who were in custody on charges including joint extortion. Gimhae Seobu Police Station separately referred seven teenagers without detention on aggravated assault charges.

The two Yangsan suspects allegedly followed foreign motorcyclists in neighborhoods with large foreign populations between June and July. They threatened to report the riders to police and extorted cash and valuables worth about 2 million won ($1,440) in 24 incidents, according to police.

Police believe the suspects took advantage of the victims’ fears that contacting authorities could expose them to penalties for riding unregistered motorcycles. Some victims were also allegedly staying in Korea illegally.

In Gimhae, the seven teenagers allegedly chased foreign nationals riding motorcycles without license plates in September 2025 and June this year. They demanded identification and kicked the motorcycles to intimidate the riders, police said.

No financial losses were reported in the Gimhae cases. The victims either fled or did not fully understand the suspects’ demands in Korean, according to police.

Police opened the investigations after receiving information that foreign motorcyclists were being repeatedly targeted in areas with large foreign populations.

“We will respond sternly to crimes such as unlawful detention, confinement and extortion that exploit the vulnerable circumstances of foreign nationals,” a police official said.