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Autopsy of Korean found dead in Cambodia finds no clear cause

Published: 20 Oct. 2025, 19:17

Officials of the National Forensic Service and other Korean authorities enter an autopsy facility near the Tuek Thla Pagoda in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on Oct. 20. [NEWS1]

An autopsy conducted on a 22-year-old Korean university student surnamed Park who was found dead in Cambodia in August determined no clear cause of death, such as stab wounds or other fatal injuries, according to Korean authorities on Monday.

“There were numerous bruises across the body, but no knife wounds or stitched scars were found,” said an official familiar with the investigation. “Being beaten does not automatically lead to death, so further tests — including histological and toxicological analyses — will be conducted in Korea to determine the exact cause.”

At 9:27 a.m. on Monday, three black vans pulled into Tuek Thla Pagoda in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Inside were seven members of a joint Korean investigation team — including forensic doctors from the National Forensic Service, investigators from the National Police Agency and crime scene experts — dispatched to perform a joint autopsy on Park’s body.

The team moved straight to the mortuary under the escort of Cambodian police, who had set up police lines and restricted public access by deploying around 50 officers.

Tuek Thla Pagoda, which houses a refrigerated morgue and crematorium, is known as a site where funerals for foreign nationals are often held. Park's body had been stored at the facility for more than two months following his death in August.

The joint autopsy — which involved six Korean and six Cambodian experts and lasted about four hours — found no evidence of organ removal or other signs of mutilation.

Tuek Thla Pagoda in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, where the body of a 22-year-old Korean student surnamed Park found on Aug. 8 was kept until an autopsy could be conducted on Oct. 20. [LEE YOUNG-KEUN]

“Park’s remains will be repatriated promptly after consultation with Cambodian authorities,” said the National Police Agency.

Park flew to Cambodia on July 17, telling his family he was attending an expo. He was found dead on Aug. 8 inside a vehicle near a criminal compound in Bokor Mountain, Kampot Province.

His body showed signs of bruising and injuries consistent with torture. Three individuals suspected of murdering Park were indicted on Oct. 10, while local police are still pursuing two other suspects believed to have orchestrated the crime.

A visit to Tuek Thla Pagoda by the JoongAng Ilbo on Saturday offered a glimpse into the growing concerns over alleged criminal compounds in Cambodia.

A picture of a deceased individual is seen inside Tuek Thla Pagoda in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, where the body of a 22-year-old Korean student surnamed Park found on Aug. 8 was kept until an autopsy could be conducted on Oct. 20. [LEE YOUNG-KEUN]

In front of the morgue, offerings were arranged on tables — including Chinese snacks, soda, fake currency and flowers — in front of what appeared to be a portrait of a deceased Chinese man. Other tables, honoring different victims, had beer cans and talismans, but no photos.

A temple spokesperson said the morgue often receives bodies of Chinese nationals, as well as those of Koreans roughly every two to three months.

“Many young foreigners end up here with heart attacks listed as the cause of death, but there are suspicions that they were actually victims of crimes,” said a local tour guide.

While the Korean government only recently took large-scale action in response to the case, other countries have been more proactive.

Acting National Police Agency Commissioner Yoo Jae-seong and General Commissariat of the Cambodian National Police Chea Peou speak during a meeting at the National Police Agency headquarters in Seodaemun District, western Seoul, on Oct. 20. [NEWS1]

On Tuesday, the United States and Britain imposed sanctions on Prince Group — a major conglomerate alleged to be involved in the operation of Cambodian criminal compounds — and its chairman, Chen Zhi.

Japan launched a repatriation operation in August, dispatching 80 investigators to bring back 29 Japanese nationals suspected of engaging in cybercrime in Cambodia.

China, meanwhile, established a multinational investigative framework with Southeast Asian countries four years ago.

“Beijing has shut down more than 2,000 overseas scam centers since 2021 to this year and arrested over 80,000 individuals in coordination with countries such as Myanmar, Thailand and Cambodia,” said China’s Ministry of Public Security. “Since then, we have also expanded probes to include ad agencies, tech developers and money laundering networks, arresting an additional 366,000 suspects.”

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 LEE YOUNG-KEUN,KIM CHANG-YONG [[email protected]]