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How far will the Cambodia connection spread?

Published: 20 Oct. 2025, 00:02

Chang Se-jeong

The author is an editorial writer of the JoongAng Ilbo.

The murder of a Korean college student by a Chinese-run crime syndicate in Cambodia has sent shock waves through Korea, exposing a disturbing web of global exploitation and homegrown complicity. What first appeared to be a tragic case of young Koreans lured abroad by false promises of quick riches has grown more complex, as new evidence suggests some were drawn into phone and romance scam operations themselves.

The so-called Mango Compound near Phnom Penh, Cambodia, known as a crime zone, is seen on Oct. 16 as reports of Koreans being kidnapped and detained in the country continue to emerge. [YONHAP]

At first, public sympathy leaned toward the victims — young people from declining rural areas desperate for opportunity. But as police revealed that some had acted as perpetrators in organized scams targeting elderly Koreans, sentiment shifted sharply. When 64 Koreans were repatriated on a Korean Air charter flight from Cambodia on Saturday, the National Office of Investigation immediately arrested them as suspects, signaling a new phase in the inquiry. Police are now questioning them about how they were recruited and what roles they played locally, with punishments expected to vary according to the extent of their involvement.

Yet their return marks only the beginning of a broader investigation. The National Intelligence Service earlier estimated that more than 1,000 Koreans were trapped in Cambodian compounds run by criminal groups. The scale of the problem suggests that far more lies beneath the surface.

Cambodia’s transformation into a global hub for cyber fraud can be traced back to China’s Belt and Road Initiative, launched there in 2013. As Chinese casino operators poured into new economic zones, the country became fertile ground for organized crime. When the Covid-19 pandemic halted tourism, many groups pivoted to online scams — voice phishing, fake investment schemes and romance fraud. These networks targeted young people from Korea, the United States, Japan, India, Taiwan and beyond with promises of high-paying jobs. According to a UN-affiliated agency, more than 100,000 youths of various nationalities were forced into online fraud operations in Cambodia last year alone.

Behind Cambodia’s permissive environment lies the dynastic rule of the Hun family, which has controlled the country since 1985. The Prince Group, a conglomerate headed by Chinese-born businessman Chen Zhi, has been sanctioned by the United States and Britain as a transnational criminal organization. Chen, originally from China’s Fujian Province, built his fortune in casinos and real estate under the protection of former Prime Minister Hun Sen and his son, current Prime Minister Hun Manet, both of whom he served as an adviser.

Concerns have grown in Korea after reports that the real estate arm of the Prince Group entered the Korean market in May and has been active in Seoul’s Gangnam area. The revelation has sparked questions about whether Cambodia’s criminal network has extended its reach into Korea itself. Rep. Suh Bum-soo of the People Power Party raised the alarm during a parliamentary audit on Friday, urging authorities to identify the group’s local operations and freeze any assets linked to illicit funds. Acting National Police Chief Yoo Jae-sung responded that the police would consider investigating the Prince Group’s activities.

Korea’s political sphere has also faced uncomfortable scrutiny over its own Cambodian ties. During the Moon Jae-in administration, roughly $100 million from the troubled Lime Asset Management fund was funneled into a Cambodian resort project, yet the full circumstances remain unclear. Under the Yoon Suk Yeol government, the Unification Church pursued a Mekong River development project in Cambodia, financed with 170 billion won in state-backed bank loans. Prosecutors are now probing allegations that church officials lobbied Yoon’s wife, Kim Keon Hee, to secure approval for the project.

Members of the Incheon International Airport Police’s Counterterrorism Task Force stand by at a departure gate for a flight to Cambodia at Terminal 2 of Incheon International Airport on Oct. 15, amid growing controversy over the kidnapping and detention of Koreans in Cambodia. Police said they were conducting safety checks and interviews with passengers bound for Cambodia to prevent potential risks. [YONHAP]

The widening scope of the so-called Cambodia connection has raised fears of deeper political and financial entanglements between Korea and the region’s shadow economy. As criminal, financial and political interests intersect, authorities face mounting pressure to uncover the truth. Untangling the network of exploitation — both abroad and at home — will test the resolve of Korean law enforcement and the integrity of its political class.

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.