South Korean authorities have launched a concerted effort to rescue their citizens from Cambodia, a nation that has become a dangerous hub for elaborate online scam operations. These criminal enterprises have ensnared hundreds, forcing them into fraudulent schemes that collectively fleece billions from unsuspecting victims globally.
A surge of distress has gripped South Korea, fueled by reports of 330 individuals vanishing after journeying to Cambodia this year. Among these tragic cases is a 22-year-old university student, whose subsequent death has sparked widespread alarm. Officials confirm that numerous victims have endured severe torture and illegal confinement at the hands of these scam ring operators.
Lured by the promise of lucrative, high-paying jobs, these unsuspecting victims found themselves trapped, coerced into participating in the very fraud schemes designed to target their fellow South Koreans, authorities revealed.
While many of the reported missing have now been located, a staggering 79 individuals remain unaccounted for in Cambodia, according to Wi Sung-lac, South Korea’s national security director. During a recent news conference, he announced the government’s commitment to repatriating approximately 60 more citizens currently held by Cambodian authorities.
South Korea’s intervention marks the latest in a growing list of nations determined to dismantle Cambodia’s booming scam industry.
Earlier this year, China spearheaded a major offensive against scam compounds operating across Myanmar and Cambodia. More recently, the United States and Britain levied sanctions against segments of Cambodia’s influential Prince Group, accusing them of orchestrating global scam networks. U.S. federal prosecutors have also indicted the group’s chairman, Chen Zhi, seizing an estimated $15 billion in cryptocurrency believed to be illicit gains from fraud and money laundering.
In response to the escalating crisis, South Korea’s Foreign Ministry announced a travel ban for its citizens, effective Thursday, on specific areas of Cambodia notorious for widespread scam operations and illegal human detention.
Several Southeast Asian nations, including Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar, have unfortunately emerged as key centers for sophisticated online fraud. Scammers operating from this region alone defrauded victims in the United States of at least $10 billion last year. A report from the U.N. Office of Drugs and Crime indicated that South Korean citizens lost approximately $148 million to these schemes in 2023.
These illicit operations thrive by trafficking individuals, often enticed by deceptive high-paying job advertisements, into vulnerable border areas across Southeast Asia. Once trapped, victims are forced to conduct scams in their native languages. While the majority of those trafficked to these compounds hail from China, Southeast Asia, South Asia, and Africa, a notable number of South Koreans have also fallen prey to these false promises of wealth.
Mr. Wi estimated that Cambodia’s sprawling scam industry involves around 200,000 individuals of diverse nationalities, with approximately 1,000 believed to be South Korean citizens.
Investigations by The New York Times revealed advertisements circulated on online job boards and the messaging app Telegram, explicitly targeting South Koreans. These deceptive ads promised weekly payments of at least 5 million won (roughly $3,500), a sum significantly exceeding the average monthly income in South Korea.
Jeremy Douglas, chief of staff and strategy at the U.N. Office of Drugs and Crime, noted that South Korean organized crime groups operate scam facilities in Cambodia, though these are typically smaller than the massive compounds run by Chinese syndicates. He added that numerous smaller rings, often managed by young Koreans in their twenties and thirties, are also active in the country.
Mr. Wi acknowledged that some South Koreans knowingly traveled to Cambodia with the intention of engaging in illegal activities, and a portion even willingly returned after being repatriated. He affirmed that the South Korean government is committed to implementing measures to deter citizens from seeking employment in Cambodia’s illicit high-paying job sector.
During a public hearing on Monday, South Korean lawmaker Park Chan-dae revealed the harrowing conditions endured by some kidnapped victims, describing their treatment as exceptionally harsh.
“Victims were reportedly forced to consume drugs, subjected to sexual assault, and even underwent medical examinations potentially for organ trafficking,” Park stated. “Every moment was a struggle for survival.” He explained that many managed to escape or contact their families via Telegram, which ultimately led to their rescue and repatriation.
Lee Jeong-sook, president of the Korean Rescue Organization, a nonprofit dedicated to assisting South Koreans trapped abroad, detailed the brutality faced by victims. At a news conference, she described how those who resisted work were confined, beaten, tortured, and had their families extorted for ransom.
The Cambodian government confirmed on Tuesday that Park Minho, the 22-year-old university student, succumbed to a heart attack resulting from “severe torture.” His body was discovered in August inside a Ford pickup truck, and he had been residing in a building subsequently identified by authorities as a base for a scam operation.
In connection with Mr. Park’s death and the scam operations, three Chinese nationals and two other individuals have been charged. The Cambodian government stated its ongoing collaboration with South Korean officials to apprehend any additional accomplices.
Following its February crackdown, China successfully repatriated hundreds of individuals rescued from scam centers in Myanmar. These victims had been forced by Chinese criminals into various fraudulent activities, including investment scams, cryptocurrency fraud, and online dating cons.
Mr. Douglas observed that although Chinese syndicates remain dominant in the scam industry, a recent period of reduced activity allowed Japanese and Korean criminal organizations, already present in the region, to expand their operations.
He concluded, saying, “While China’s crackdown certainly opened doors for other groups and contributed to the diversification of these operations, this trend was already underway.”