Chinese tourists steal cremation urns on visa-free Jeju Island, demand $2M ransom

By Hoang Vu March 2, 2025 | 11:55 pm PT

Tourists visit Jeju Island in South Korea, 2020. Photo by Reuters

South Korean police are seeking Interpol's assistance in apprehending two Chinese tourists accused of stealing multiple cremation urns from a temple on Jeju Island and demanding a ransom of up to US$2 million.

The suspects, who arrived in Jeju under a visa-free entry program on Feb. 18, allegedly broke into a columbarium at the temple in eastern Jeju around 1 a.m. on Feb. 24, stealing a total of six urns, The Korea Herald reported.

Their actions were captured on surveillance cameras.

After burying the urns on a nearby mountain, three in each of two separate locations, the duo sent a video message to the families later that morning, demanding the ransom for their return, the South China Morning Post reported.

The suspects then fled the country, traveling through Hong Kong before escaping to Cambodia.

Following a three-day search involving around 40 officers, police located and returned the urns to the families, Jeju police confirmed.

Jeju Island operates a visa-waiver entry policy to boost tourism, allowing nationals from 111 countries, including China, to enter without a visa. Under this program, foreign tourists can stay on the island for up to 30 days but are restricted from traveling to other parts of South Korea.