Kidnapping attempts on the rise in South Korea with over nine every week, shows police data

SEOUL: A total of 319 cases of kidnapping, abductions and attempted kidnappings were reported from January to August, South Korea’s National Police Agency data showed on Sept 18.

According to the report compiled by Representative Wi Seong-gon of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, 237 cases of kidnapping, abduction and human trafficking took place in the first eight months of 2025, along with 82 cases of attempted kidnapping.