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Cambodia to deport 59 Korean nationals in relation to scam operations

Published: 17 Oct. 2025, 08:43

Inside a compound in Takeo Province, Cambodia, on Oct. 16, chairs and desks believed to have been used by a criminal organization remain. [LEE YOUNG-KEUN]

Cambodian police announced Thursday that 59 Koreans involved in online scam operations will be deported Friday.

“Authorities plan to deport 59 Korean nationals [...] who have been rescued by Cambodian authorities or detained for other crimes to their country with cooperation from the embassy of South Korea,” said Cambodian police on Thursday, AFP reported.

According to the Korean broadcaster MBN's Thursday report, the Korean National Police Agency said the announcement had not been coordinated in advance and was made unilaterally by Cambodian police. “Discussions are still ongoing on the ground,” the agency was quoted as saying.

Initially, 63 Koreans were detained by Cambodia’s immigration authorities. Two were sent home aboard a Korean airliner on Tuesday. However, the 59 named for deportation by Cambodian authorities differ from the 61 people identified by the Korean government as still being in detention.

The Korean government previously stated that it was preparing flights to bring them home and aimed to complete the repatriation by this weekend.

Authorities plan to prioritize deporting individuals who have arrest warrants issued against them in Korea.

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 HYEON YE-SEUL [[email protected]]