Flipping the narrative? Korean women describe 'peaceful, happy lives' in Cambodian gov't promotional videos.
Published: 16 Oct. 2025, 15:01
![Cambodia’s Interior Ministry uploaded promotional videos featuring Korean women on its official Facebook page on Oct. 14 and 15. [SCREEN CAPTURE]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/10/16/ff9459ff-0f75-4b32-acf9-6e00e08715e3.jpg)
Cambodia’s Interior Ministry uploaded promotional videos featuring Korean women on its official Facebook page on Oct. 14 and 15. [SCREEN CAPTURE]
As violent crime claims more Korean victims in Cambodia, the Southeast Asian nation's government is pushing a different narrative — one told by cheerful Korean women in promotional videos declaring the nation “peaceful.”
Cambodia’s Interior Ministry released one of the promotional videos featuring Korean women living in the country on Tuesday.
The video, posted on the ministry’s official Facebook page, stated that it was “sharing the experience of a Korean national who has lived in Cambodia for 13 years with Koreans and the international community." The video features a Korean woman speaking in Korean.
“I run a cafe in Phnom Penh. I’ve been living here for 13 years already,” the woman in the video said. “There have been many concerning reports about Cambodia in the news lately, but the reality I experience is quite different.”
She describes Cambodians as “genuinely kind and warmhearted,” adding, “They smile at strangers and are always ready to help, even with the smallest things.”
“Of course, every country has its difficulties,” she says, “but to us, Cambodia still feels peaceful, and the people’s hearts are full of warmth. That’s why I truly enjoy living here. What you see in the news is not the whole story. We are living peacefully and gratefully in Cambodia.”
A day later, on Wednesday, the ministry posted another video featuring a different Korean woman, who discusses her efforts to help locals affected by a border dispute with Thailand. She mentions shared cultural values between Cambodians and Koreans.
“I believe that all Koreans living in Cambodia who love this country are paying close attention to the current difficulties caused by the dispute,” she says. “Seeing Cambodians unite and support one another reminds me of how Koreans come together in times of hardship.
“I’d like to inform everyone about a blood donation campaign and a fund-raising drive to help Cambodian soldiers and civilians affected by the conflict,” she added. “Donations of bottled water and daily necessities can be brought to Tuol Kork Market in Phnom Penh.”
The Cambodian government’s PR campaign comes amid a sharp rise in violent crimes against Korean nationals in the country, particularly involving employment scams that have led to kidnappings, confinement and even murder.
According to official reports, there were four cases of kidnapping or unlawful confinement involving Koreans in Cambodia in 2021, and one in 2022. That number surged to 17 in 2023, and then to 220 last year. As of August this year, 330 cases had already been reported.
In response to the escalating danger, Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday announced that starting at midnight on Thursday, it would issue a Level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisory for parts of Cambodia and raise existing travel warnings in other areas.
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 JANG GU-SEUL [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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