Dead Body Found at Construction Site Near Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Chinese Couple "Suddenly Had Seizures While Receiving Treatment at Hospital"
A Korean woman found dead in Cambodia has been identified as 'BJ Ayoung (Byeon Ayoung, 33)'.
According to local media on the 12th, the body of a Korean woman in her 30s was discovered on the 6th at a construction site in Kandal Province near Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. At the time of discovery, the body was reportedly wrapped in a red cloth and abandoned in a puddle.
The media revealed the victim's identity as "33-year-old Korean woman Byeon Ayoung." She was an influencer known as ‘BJ Ayoung,’ with 160,000 subscribers on AfreecaTV and 250,000 followers on Instagram.
Byeon had posted on Instagram in March, "I have quit being a BJ. I plan to live as a regular person for a while. Ayoung the ordinary person's new life, I have to live diligently," and then ceased her activities.
Following the sudden tragic news, tributes from acquaintances and fans have been pouring in on Byeon's social media accounts. It was especially heartbreaking as the 11th was reported to be her birthday.
One acquaintance commented on Instagram, "Happy birthday, Ayoung unnie. This year, I only send unanswered KakaoTalk messages. When I saw the three rare syllables of your name with the unnie honorific and clicked on the article, I cried so much," adding, "Please see only good things there and don’t lose your beautiful smile."
Died After Receiving Injection at Hospital... Allegations of Assault Raised
Earlier, Cambodian police arrested a Chinese couple in their 30s on charges of transporting and abandoning Byeon's body. They reportedly stated that Byeon had a seizure and died while receiving treatment at the hospital they operated on the 4th.
According to media reports, Byeon entered Cambodia on the 2nd and died two days later after receiving an intravenous drip or serum injection at the hospital. However, some have raised suspicions that she was assaulted, as her face was found severely swollen.
Chinese couple accused of abandoning the body of a Korean female BJ traveling in Cambodia [Photo by local Cambodian media]
An anonymous Korean told Yonhap News Agency, "Based on information from local media and the embassy, it seems Byeon was not murdered," but added, "There are also rumors that she was found with a severely swollen face, suggesting assault." He further said, "There is a companion who entered Cambodia with her, and the embassy is reportedly in contact with him to ascertain the facts."
In fact, on the ‘Cambodia Single Network’ platform used by Chinese residents in Cambodia, it was reported that the victim’s face was distorted, her neck was broken, and bruises were found on her body when first discovered. Consequently, local media speculated that the Chinese couple might have administered the serum injection belatedly to cover up the cause of death by assault.
Byeon's family reportedly arrived in Cambodia on the 11th. A representative from the Korean Embassy in Cambodia stated, "We plan to provide maximum consular assistance to the family for funeral procedures," and added, "Once the local police share the investigation details, we will immediately report to the National Police Agency and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for urgent response."
Meanwhile, Cambodia is known to have many unauthorized medical facilities operating without hospital licenses, requiring special caution. Previously, comedian Seo Sewon also died on April 20th while receiving an intravenous drip at a hospital in Phnom Penh.
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