[Journalism Internship] Rising scam crimes in Cambodia expose Korea’s slow government action
Published: 07 Dec. 2025, 15:14
![Police escort repatriated Koreans involved in Cambodia-based scam organizations as they move through Terminal 2 of Incheon International Airport on Oct. 18. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/12/07/7a0d0c6a-091f-417f-82cc-c395ecf6fea6.jpg)
Police escort repatriated Koreans involved in Cambodia-based scam organizations as they move through Terminal 2 of Incheon International Airport on Oct. 18. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]
Kim Li-woo, Lee Yeon-soo, Kim Ji-hun, Kang Woo-joo
On Oct. 21, a tragic incident occurred in which a university student returned from Cambodia after 74 days, reduced to a handful of ashes.
Not only that student but many other Koreans are having similar experiences; dying in a foreign land where they dreamed of new opportunities and jobs. Not having the active responses to the situation of many people who went to Cambodia, Korea is facing public criticism after reports revealed that Korean students and job seekers were kidnapped, beaten and forced to carry out online scams inside Cambodian compounds.
Many are now questioning why the government waited until Koreans began dying to intervene. Although warnings about the scam networks in Cambodia had been circulating for months, major government action did not start until confirmed reports showed that several Koreans died under intense physical harm. Only then did officials begin repatriating citizens, a move many see as a delayed reaction.
As scam crimes surged across Cambodia and Southeast Asia, targeting Korean nationals, the number of Korean victims escalated sharply — from an average of 21 cases in 2023 to 330 cases in 2025, representing a more than 15-fold increase, according to YTN radio.
Reports from the National Intelligence Service indicate that some Korean students died under torture within Cambodian scam operations, and the overall impact extends to over 200,000 Korean citizens abroad. Starting around 2023, cyber scams originating from Cambodia increased significantly.
The criminal leaders continue to operate from cross-border safe havens, prolonging the threat. Recognizing the severity of the situation, the Korean government eventually dispatched a joint response team to Cambodia to repatriate 59 citizens and address the surge in kidnappings, job scams and illegal detentions.
However, critics argue that these measures came too late, as numerous victims had already suffered, highlighting concerns over the government’s delayed initial responses to the victims.
Why Korea became the 'top target' of Cambodian scam networks
![Cambodian national flags are raised at Techo International Airport in Cambodia on Oct. 15. [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/12/07/57835694-6350-46d5-a9b4-a39c1ffa6117.jpg)
Cambodian national flags are raised at Techo International Airport in Cambodia on Oct. 15. [NEWS1]
After recent revelations, many Koreans began wondering why their nationals, particularly students, have become prime targets of Cambodia-based scam networks. According to the BBC, the Korean Embassy in Cambodia reports that around 2,000 Koreans are involved in scamming and voice phishing operations. This raised questions about the motives of these criminal organizations and why so many Koreans ended up both victims and suspected participants.
Experts suggest several possible reasons. The Korea Times noted that young Koreans seeking employment became easy targets, as scam groups lured them with promises of fast profits, unknowingly pulling them into criminal networks.
Another factor that made Koreans easy targets is Korea’s easy internet access, widespread use of digital banking and strong international purchasing power, which made its citizens appealing marks for online scams and voice phishing.
Criminal syndicates in Cambodia expanded their operations across South and East Asia, deliberately focusing on Koreans because they generate the highest financial returns through ransom payments and voice phishing profits.
Korean missionaries working in Cambodia revealed that Koreans are often viewed as “ideal targets,” since scams aimed at Korean citizens use kidnapped victims to extort money from their families or acquaintances. Authorities also report that many individuals are attracted to Cambodia by fake high-income job postings, only to be kidnapped and forced to commit crimes inside scam compounds.
A 2024 Global Initiative report found that scam groups intentionally recruit Korean-speaking workers to make their fraud attempts more convincing, exploiting cultural and linguistic familiarity. Testimonies from repatriated victims strengthen this point, describing how they were beaten, electrically tortured or starved inside compounds until they agreed to carry out targeted scams against other Koreans. Combined with law enforcement in parts of Southeast Asia, these favorable conditions have allowed Cambodia’s scam networks to operate with relative impunity.
Despite the recent repatriation efforts of nearly 60 Koreans and increasing international action to dismantle these networks, experts from The Korea Times warn that the combination of high internet usage, cultural familiarity and a vulnerable young population means Koreans will likely remain prime targets, making the fight against transnational cybercrime far from over.
Government inaction and ongoing challenges
![A compound in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, known as a major hub for criminal activity, is seen on Oct. 15. [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/12/07/4f3415a0-5df1-4895-9037-d29230422223.jpg)
A compound in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, known as a major hub for criminal activity, is seen on Oct. 15. [NEWS1]
Despite the rising number of Korean victims trapped in the Cambodian scam networks, the Korean government has yet to take an effective course of action to protect its citizens.
For months, even with reports of torture, illegal detention and forced labor, the central government issued only short public reminders advising Koreans to “stay cautious” while traveling abroad. For many people unaware of the severity of the situation, these warnings were not strong enough to keep them from falling for scammers.
Part of this problem, however, was the challenges of tracking scam operations that continuously move across borders.
According to BBC News, Cambodian criminal groups often operate inside heavily guarded compounds, making it extremely difficult for Korean authorities to access accurate footage or confirm the safety of victims. Due to these challenges when tracking information, even when videos surfaced online showing Koreans being beaten, Korean government officials struggled to intervene in these situations directly, since the crimes were occurring outside their legal jurisdiction.
Still, critics argue that these logistical difficulties do not explain the government’s slow response. Only after the situation became undeniably severe did the government launch a joint investigation and conduct an on-site visit, bringing the victims home.
When these government actions were taken, as reported by Yonhap, many citizens viewed these as “too late,” condemning the government for failing to prevent the worst outcomes during the earlier stages of the crisis. The Korea Times also notes that stronger and earlier governmental support could have prevented some of the most tragic cases, especially for young victims and their families.
A crisis that demands more than rescue
Even after returning home, the victims continue to suffer from deep trauma and financial instability, experiencing strong social pressures.
Psychological wounds from torture, forced labor and illegal detention heal slowly, with many victims having additional pain during their reintegration into family and society.
Specifically, from various victims, young job seekers who were deceived into traveling to Cambodia face particularly complex situations, forced by criminal organizations into participating in illegal activities. Upon return, they struggle with legal liability issues and social stigma, making recovery increasingly difficult.
While the Korean government actively works on victim repatriation from Cambodia, systematic post-repatriation support remains inadequate.
Services that the victims genuinely need, such as psychological treatment, legal counseling and re-employment assistance, remain limited, forcing them to navigate recovery alone without sufficient support.
Moreover, according to the Korea International Cooperation Agency, Korea's Official Development Assistance fund, approximately $302 million annually, could serve as effective leverage for Cambodia. This financial support review has already produced positive results, leading to an agreement between President Lee Jae Myung and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet to create a joint task force to combat scam crimes.
However, translating diplomatic efforts into practical support for victims requires more concrete, sustained policies.
Suh Joon-bae, professor at the Graduate School of Police Studies in Korean National Police University, and Seam Sokkheng, a Cambodian Korean-language tour guide, strongly argued that the voices of the victims who got direct damages from the criminal organization and people afraid of being the next target of the crimes demanding more proactive and comprehensive government responses grow louder as criminal organizations continue evolving.
Both experts emphasized that the government must move beyond reactive responses and establish comprehensive support systems alongside strengthened preventive education.
BY KIM LI-WOO, LEE YEON-SOO, KIM JI-HUN, KANG WOO-JOO [[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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