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False job ads from Southeast Asia continue to surface amid crimes against Korean nationals in Cambodia

Published: 13 Oct. 2025, 19:04 Updated: 14 Oct. 2025, 19:27

In this photo released by Agence Kampuchea Press, online scammers arrested by authorities stand in a building in Sihanoukville province, southwest of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on July 15. [AP/YONHAP]

Attempts to lure Koreans with false job ads promising high earnings continue to surface across Southeast Asia despite recent efforts by Korean authorities to crack down on violent crimes targeting Korean nationals in Cambodia.

Phrases such as “earn millions of won per month” and “overseas job opportunity” still appear frequently on online job boards in communities in countries including China, Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia, where a Korean university student was recently kidnapped, tortured and killed.

These ads are not only on Korean-language sites in the United States, Japan and Southeast Asia but also on Korean job boards aimed at university students, claiming to recruit full-time workers for Southeast Asian branches of foreign companies.

Most roles are listed under telemarketing, and the postings often promise luxury accommodations, free meals and airfare, as well as monthly earnings of 10 to 20 million won ($7,000 to $14,000). Instead of providing company contact information, they leave Telegram IDs, prompting job seekers to make one-on-one contact without verifying the recruiter’s identity.

A Cambodian national flag is displayed during a groundbreaking ceremony of China-funded Funan Techo canal that will connect the country's capital Phnom Penh with Kep province on the country's south coast, Prek Takeo village, Kendal province, Cambodia on Aug. 5, 2024. [AP/YONHAP]

One job ad posted on a university recruitment site on Monday read, “If you’re desperate, struggling to make a living in Korea or just greedy for money, we welcome you — even couples or friends. Just come here ready to make money. We’ve all failed before, so what’s there to be afraid of?”

One posting even tried to reassure applicants by saying, “There is no such thing as assault or detention.”

Within an hour of JoongAng Ilbo sending a Telegram message, one recruiter replied that the job was located in Sihanoukville, Cambodia. When asked about the salary, the recruiter said the base pay was $2,000 per month, and that employees could earn between $7,000 and $8,000. They added that the company provides accommodation and two-person dorms.

Another recruiter, who also said the company was based in Sihanoukville, acknowledged the job involved fraud. When asked whether the work was voice phishing, they said, “It’s more like an investment scam.”

“This company has been operating for four or five years,” they said. “If there were problems like kidnapping or assault, we would have shut down. So we try to maintain a good atmosphere.”

These recruiters appeared to be aware of the growing media attention on crimes targeting Koreans.

“That’s something that happens at shady companies,” one of them said. “It has nothing to do with us.”

A recruiter in Thailand responded to a job inquiry by saying, “We do voice phishing. Are you okay with that?"

“The work involves impersonating prosecutors, and the job does not require experience, only a desire to make money,” they said. “The company pays based on performance, and employees can keep 6 percent of what they scam from victims.

“There are lots of incidents in Cambodia, but we’re located in a city, so public safety is better. If you just do what we tell you to do, there will be no problems. You can even travel back and forth to Korea freely.”

A Cambodian National flag flutters above barbed wire set up by police near the Council of Ministers building while garment workers gather for a rally in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on Dec. 30, 2013. [AP/YONHAP]

Another broker operating in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, said they have been helping connect Koreans to jobs for 15 years.

“Lately, it’s been harder to recruit people,” they said. “I don’t understand why everyone is suddenly making a fuss.”

Using the nickname “Trust,” the broker claimed that 99 percent of applicants are aware that the work may be connected to criminal activity and insisted that the operation does not constitute an employment scam.

Crime against Koreans is widespread, yet the government still faces real limits in its ability to respond quickly. Much of the effort depends on Cambodia's cooperation.

The Cambodian government has further complicated matters by reportedly demanding the extradition of Cambodian dissidents residing in Korea in exchange for handing over suspects in crimes targeting Korean nationals.

“Police cooperation with Cambodia is less effective than with other Southeast Asian countries,” said Yoo Jae-seong, the acting commissioner general of the National Police Agency. “We must continue working closely with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other relevant agencies.”

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has defended the way it has handled the recent rise in crimes against Korean nationals in Cambodia by pointing out that not all victims are passive: Some knowingly join online scam operations while hiding the truth from their families.

A Cambodian flag flutters as USS Savannah arrives for a port call at Sihanoukville port in Cambodia on Dec. 16, 2024. [AP/YONHAP]

“Many rescued victims refuse consular support and even return to scam centers in Cambodia after going back to Korea,” the ministry said.

Critics note that other countries such as Japan already cooperate with Cambodia on crime response, which raises questions about whether Korea has fully engaged with the issue.

In August, for instance, Japan sent 80 investigators to Cambodia to facilitate the extradition of 29 Japanese citizens who had participated in phone scams. Back in 2022, the Japanese embassy in Cambodia warned its citizens to beware of job offers that could lead to forced labor, noting several cases of detainment and exploitation.

Experts argue that Korea must expand diplomatic channels with Cambodia and dispatch its own investigators.

“To deploy Korea’s investigative resources in Cambodia, the two countries must first establish a solid foundation of cooperation,” said Lee Shin-hwa, a political science professor at Korea University. “Korea needs to offer support measures while formally requesting Cambodia’s consent to send investigators.”

Another expert echoed the need for a stronger Korean law enforcement presence in Cambodia.

“If Cambodian police had the capacity to dismantle these criminal networks, diplomacy alone might be sufficient,” said Jung Jae-hwan, a political science professor at Inha University. “But under the current circumstances, Korea needs to actively send its own police officers.”

The Korean presidential office announced on Monday plans to form a task force in response to violent crimes targeting Koreans.

The task force will include the Foreign Ministry, Ministry of Justice and National Police Agency. The police also expanded their existing Cambodia crime response team launched in July, and said they will request the establishment of a “Korean Desk” in Cambodia staffed by Korean police.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY IM SOUNG-BIN, LEE YOUNG-KEUN, KIM JEONG-JAE AND KIM CHANG-YONG [[email protected]]