Case Explained: Lawmaker proposes releasing crime data on foreign residents by visa status, country of origin – Legal Perspective

A lawmaker has introduced legislation that would require the government to compile and publish crime statistics involving foreign nationals, broken down by nationality and visa status, claiming the need for more precise data to guide immigration and public safety policies.

Rep. Kim Mi-ae of the main opposition People Power Party submitted a revision to the Immigration Control Act on Monday that would require the Ministry of Justice to compile and publish comprehensive annual statistics — including border crossings, foreign resident status and crimes involving foreign nationals — broken down by nationality and type of stay.

The move reflects a growing push in Seoul for data‑driven evidence as Korea’s population rapidly diversifies. By demanding detailed breakdowns, proponents hope to move beyond generalizations, even as critics warn that such disclosures risk stigmatizing migrants and fueling an already sensitive national debate over immigration.

Under current law, the ministry regularly discloses data on immigration flows and the number of foreign residents. But there is no clear legal basis for compiling or releasing crime statistics by nationality or visa category, a gap that Kim says has hindered meaningful analysis and policymaking.

The proposed revision would also allow the justice minister to request relevant data from other government agencies when necessary to improve the accuracy and reliability of the statistics, with the scope and method of disclosure to be defined in a presidential decree.

The bill comes amid heightened public attention in Korea to crimes involving foreign nationals.

Data submitted to Kim’s office by the National Police Agency in May 2025 showed that the number of foreign nationals suspected of crimes in 2024 rose to 35,283, up about 7.8 percent from the year before. The increase was particularly pronounced in violent crime, with homicide cases involving foreign suspects jumping 59 percent to 73 — still a small figure compared with those involving Korean nationals. Theft, fraud — including voice phishing — drug offenses and traffic violations also increased from the previous year.

Kim stressed that the legislation is not intended to exaggerate crimes committed by foreign nationals or stigmatize specific groups.

“This revision is not about exaggerating foreign crime or stigmatizing certain communities,” Kim said. “It is a minimum institutional step aimed at understanding the situation accurately, based on policy-relevant variables such as nationality and visa status, so that effective measures can be designed.”

She added that policy debates conducted without reliable data risk fueling public anxiety or repeating past failures.

“If policies are discussed without systematic statistics, the risk of heightening public unease or repeating ineffective policies increases,” Kim said. “Once the law is revised, immigration and foreign resident policies can be managed in a more transparent and rational manner.”

Should the bill be approved by the National Assembly, it would take effect six months after promulgation.