Cambodian PM regrets death of Korean in scam ring, vows tougher crackdown

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet expressed regret over the death of a South Korean national killed by an online scam syndicate and pledged to redouble efforts to protect Koreans in Cambodia, according to Seoul’s Foreign Ministry.

Hun made the remarks in a meeting with an emergency interagency response team from the South Korean government, headed by Second Vice Foreign Minister Kim Jina and including Park Sung-joo, head of the National Office of Investigation, in Phnom Penh on Thursday morning.

The meeting took place amid a rapid surge in the number of South Koreans lured to Cambodia by fraudulent high-paying job offers and related violent crimes, including kidnappings and forced confinement in criminal compounds.

“Prime Minister Hun Manet expressed his deep regret and sorrow over the death of a Korean national, and stated that he would make even greater efforts to arrest the suspects currently at large and to protect South Korean nationals in Cambodia,” the Foreign Ministry in Seoul said in a statement.

Public concern has intensified in South Korea following the discovery of a university student’s body in Cambodia in early August. The student, found near Bokor Mountain in Kampot province — a hotbed of online scam compounds — was determined by Cambodian police to have died after severe torture.

“Prime Minister Hun Manet said that he has been actively making efforts, including strengthening crackdowns, through the Commission for Combating Online Scam that he leads as chairperson,” Seoul’s ministry said. “(He) expressed hope that such efforts would be further reinforced through cooperation between the two countries going forward.”

Hun also expressed concern that South Korea’s decision to raise its travel advisory for Cambodia could negatively affect investment and tourism in the country, requesting a swift downgrade, according to the Foreign Ministry in Seoul. However, Vice Minister Kim said the measure was unavoidable given the current situation, explaining that Seoul would consider lowering the alert once conditions improve.

The Foreign Ministry in Seoul also disclosed that Hun also voiced worry about negative media coverage of Cambodia in South Korea, while Kim responded that both governments should collaborate to improve the situation and public perception.

During the meeting, Kim mentioned that Seoul could explore development cooperation projects to support and strengthen Cambodia’s public security capacity.

The South Korean interagency response team met separately with Chhay Sinarith, head of the Secretariat of the Commission for Combating Online Scams, and held in-depth discussions on ways to further intensify cooperation in cracking down on the online scam syndicates in Cambodian territory.

“Both sides agreed to continue close consultations on concrete measures, including the launch of a Korea-Cambodia joint task force to combat scam crimes, based on their strong shared understanding of the need to strengthen cooperation between the two countries to protect Korean nationals in Cambodia,” the Foreign Ministry in Seoul said.

In the afternoon, the South Korean government team also visited the Taija compound, one of several scam complexes in Takeo province, with Cambodian officials to inspect the site and receive briefings on the operations and crackdown status of major scam centers.

About 80 cases remain open among reports of Koreans who entered Cambodia and were reported missing or forcibly confined as of August this year, according to data from South Korea’s Foreign Ministry. The ministry received 330 such reports between January and August this year and 220 cases for all of 2024, most of which — about 260 this year and 210 last year — have since been resolved.

However, observers warn that the actual number of Korean victims may be far higher. Seoul's National Intelligence Service has estimated that more than 1,000 South Koreans could be in scam compounds in Cambodia, though their involvement in criminal activities has not been confirmed.