Korean influencer found dead in Cambodia

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Korean influencer found dead in Cambodia

Published: 11 Jun. 2023, 16:01

Mugshots of a Chinese couple in their 30s who run a medical clinic in Cambodia and were arrested by local police for abandoning the body of a Korean woman as reported by Rasmei Kampuchea Daily on Sunday. [NEWS1]

A Korean woman, identified as an internet broadcaster in her 30s, was found dead in Cambodia earlier in the week, local media reported Sunday.

Cambodian police arrested a Chinese couple on charges of disposing of her body, according to Rasmei Kampuchea Daily.

The woman's body was found wrapped in red cloth in a pond in a small town in Kandal province near Phnom Penh on Tuesday, according to local media reports.

The victim was identified as a BJ, short for "broadcast jockey," a term used in Korea to refer to a person that films themselves talking, eating, or playing games on live broadcasting websites such as YouTube, Twitch or Afreeca TV, who had been traveling in Cambodia.

The Chinese suspects are both in their 30s and ran a medical clinic. They allegedly testified to police that they abandoned the woman's body after she had seizures and died while receiving treatment at their clinic on June 4.

Police suspect that the couple wrapped the body in red cloth and transported it in a car before abandoning it.

Korean police requested cooperation from Cambodian authorities for a thorough investigation.

Cambodian police are currently conducting an investigation into the woman's death, including running an autopsy on the body and conducting legal proceedings. They are also tracing the victim's movements through an acquaintance she had been traveling with.

A Korean Foreign Ministry official said Sunday that the ministry was "providing necessary consular assistance to the bereaved family."

The official said that as the matter is currently under investigation by the local authorities, the ministry couldn't confirm specific details.

The victim is reportedly an influencer with more than 250,000 subscribers, who have been posting their condolences on her social media platforms.

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]