Cambodia job scam tragedy exposes lax Korean response

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Cambodia job scam tragedy exposes lax Korean response

Published: 13 Oct. 2025, 00:00

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Suspects are seen with their hands zip tied after being detained during a police raid on a scam center in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, 16 July 2025. The operation was part of a nationwide crackdown on cybercrime networks, following Prime Minister Hun Manet’s order to shut down online scam operations often run like sweatshops. [EPA/YONHAP]

A string of violent crimes against Koreans in Cambodia has caused alarm after a Korean university student was abducted and killed by a Chinese criminal group operating there. According to Cambodia’s state-run AKP news agency, prosecutors in Kampot Province have charged three Chinese nationals in their 30s to 50s with murder and fraud. The men are accused of killing a Korean man in his 20s, identified as Park, near Bokor Mountain in Kampot in August. Local police listed the cause of death as “cardiac arrest due to torture.” The area has long been known for job scams and illegal confinement targeting Koreans.

Korean police believe Park fell victim to a false overseas job offer and was lured to Cambodia, where he was caught by the local crime ring. He told his family in mid-July that he was traveling to attend a local job fair, then departed for Cambodia. The North Gyeongsang Provincial Police said they have arrested several domestic accomplices who lured him abroad and are investigating their involvement. However, Korean investigators are limited to tracing Park’s recruitment in Korea and must rely on Cambodian police for the case abroad. Establishing effective joint investigations between the two countries is increasingly urgent, yet Korea’s response so far has been inadequate. Officials plan to discuss creating a “Korean Desk” in Cambodia later this month to allow Korean officers to assist local police, but critics say the plan comes too late.

The Foreign Ministry’s slow response has also worsened the situation. Even before Park’s case, abductions of Koreans by international crime rings were rampant in parts of Cambodia. Ministry data shows that the number of reported abductions rose from around 10 to 20 annually in 2022 and 2023 to 220 last year and 330 as of August this year. Despite this, the post of Korean ambassador to Cambodia has remained vacant since July, when the government recalled multiple envoys but failed to appoint replacements. The ministry issued a special travel advisory on Oct. 10 urging Koreans to postpone nonessential trips to Phnom Penh, but the warning came only after repeated incidents.

Roughly 200,000 Koreans visit Cambodia every year. It is unacceptable that Korean nationals continue to be easy targets for organized crime there. After receiving reports on the latest killing, President Lee Jae Myung ordered the Foreign Ministry to mobilize all available resources to protect Korean citizens. Rather than blaming Cambodian authorities for poor cooperation, the government must now act swiftly to guarantee the safety of its people abroad. Safeguarding the lives and security of citizens is the state’s most basic responsibility.

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.