Foreigners and naturalized Korean citizens in the country will work as volunteers to help immigrants settle down and deter them from committing crimes, prosecutors said Thursday.

The Southern District Prosecutor's Office said in a press release they have established a committee on Tuesday comprised of Korean and foreign nationals to act as a resource for immigrants.

The committee aims to help foreigners, who are often marginalized in society, to better adapt to life abroad and cope with potential discrimination, in turn diverting them from becoming criminals out of desperation.

Three foreigners and nine naturalized Koreans, including ethnic Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Taiwanese, Mongolian and Filipino expatriates, were appointed to the committee.

Some 103,000 foreigners, about 9.2 percent of the total in the country, are currently residing in the southwestern part of Seoul and accordingly, the number of crimes committed by foreigners in the area has been constantly rising.

The volunteer work includes providing education on law and order in South Korea as well as assisting with job placement services.

The committee is also planning to report the difficulties that foreigners may experience to the Seoul Immigration Office. (Yonhap)