University student tortured, killed in Cambodia allegedly recommended for 'job' by senior at school
Published: 14 Oct. 2025, 10:05
![A photo, likely of Park, the 22-year-old university student who was found dead in Cambodia in August [SCREEN CAPTURE]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/10/14/17035128-2a9b-4d39-8eb8-c98a733a8f69.jpg)
A photo, likely of Park, the 22-year-old university student who was found dead in Cambodia in August [SCREEN CAPTURE]
The 22-year-old university student Park, who was tortured and killed in Cambodia, was "recommended" for a suspected fraud operation by a senior at his school surnamed Hong, according to reports.
Korean police have launched a full-scale investigation into a domestic network connected to a Cambodian crime ring, following the news of the death of Park in Cambodia. The Korean gang working together with the Cambodian network is believed to have operated as a loose, cell-like structure to evade detection.
The Criminal Investigation Division of the North Gyeongsang Provincial Police Agency said on Monday that it is focusing its efforts on identifying individuals above Hong, a man in his 20s indicted and detained for violating the Electronic Financial Transactions Act as a recruiter of bank account holders for fraudulent use.
Police are examining telecommunications records and bank transactions to determine whether additional crimes were committed either in Korea or abroad. Hong’s first court hearing is scheduled for Nov. 13 at the Andong branch of the Daegu District Court.
The deceased 22-year-old student Park was attending a university in South Chungcheong and is believed to have traveled to Cambodia on the recommendation of Hong, a senior at the same university. Park left for Cambodia on July 17, telling his family that he planned to attend a local expo, and was found dead three weeks later on Aug. 8 in a car near Bokor Mountain in Kampot. Cambodian police concluded that Park died of cardiac arrest resulting from torture.
An individual known online as Cheonma — operator of the Telegram channel “War on Crime 2” — previously released a video of Park filmed in Cambodia. In the footage, a person believed to be Park is seen being forced to inhale drugs and explain to a group how they ended up in Cambodia.
![An online post of a job opening in Cambodia, promising potential job seekers of high pay [SCREEN CAPTURE]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/10/14/30a4db46-d77a-4f26-9e3f-595736f91e8e.jpg)
An online post of a job opening in Cambodia, promising potential job seekers of high pay [SCREEN CAPTURE]
Cheonma claimed that Park, introduced by Hong, was sent to Cambodia to act as a bank account holder in a fraud operation, and after 57 million won ($40,000) went missing due to a withdrawal, Park was beaten and detained.
Despite the news of Park's death and related crimes making headlines for days, job postings in Cambodia luring applicants with promises of high earnings and free accommodation continue to circulate online.
Chinese-backed criminal groups in Cambodia profit from voice phishing, fake bank accounts and online gambling, and actively seek Korean nationals. These individuals are used to conduct phishing scams in fluent Korean or to obtain more fraudulent accounts by leveraging personal connections. In some cases, victims are physically assaulted while being extorted for ransom.
The groups frequently post in online communities and on social media, using phrases like “Stop struggling where you can’t make money,” “Earn 15 million to 30 million won a month with base pay and bonuses,” “Free time and leisure guaranteed,” and, “Meals provided with Korean food, airfare covered.” Some ads encourage impulsive decisions with slogans such as “Change your life,” and even promise to pay wages in cryptocurrency.
![An online post of a job opening in Cambodia, promising potential job seekers of high pay [SCREEN CAPTURE]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/10/14/cfda3fdd-c230-4383-bff7-dcae2ea5710d.jpg)
An online post of a job opening in Cambodia, promising potential job seekers of high pay [SCREEN CAPTURE]
The job titles most often advertised are “customer service (CS)” and “telemarketing (TM),” and the recruiters claim that no prior experience, education or even gender matters — another common tactic to mislead potential victims.
According to police, most victims are people in their 20s and 30s. Upon arrival in Cambodia, they are immediately abducted and confined in heavily guarded facilities, where they are subjected to torture and assault.
Police believe that some Koreans working within these criminal groups are actively recruiting fellow nationals.
"We have seen cases where individuals were offered money to lure new recruits,” said Chung Myung-kyu, head of the Korean Association in Cambodia, in an interview with Korean radio CBS on Monday. “Some return to Korea and then come back to Cambodia with others from their circle.”
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 KIM JI-HYE, KIM CHUL-WOONG [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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