Korean Employment Scam Hub 'Golden Triangle'... Passport Confiscation and Forced Prostitution Included

Employment Fraud Reports Surge to 94 Last Year
Job Offers via SNS... '300,000 Won Monthly' Scam
Government Issues Travel Advisory for Thailand Border Checkpoints

Employment scams targeting Koreans are rapidly increasing in the 'Golden Triangle' area bordering Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand. Despite already designating the Myanmar-Laos border as a travel-restricted area, victims continue to emerge, prompting the government to issue a special travel advisory for border checkpoints in Thailand as well.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the 28th, employment scams targeting Koreans have significantly increased recently in countries around the Golden Triangle region and some Southeast Asian countries such as Cambodia.

In 2021 and 2022, only 4 victims were reported each year, but last year the number rose to 94, and in January of this year alone, 38 people were victimized. This represents an increase of more than 40% compared to the same month last year.

In these areas, employment scams are rampant where high-paying overseas jobs are advertised through social networking services (SNS) like Naver Band or online communities, but upon arrival, victims have their passports or phones confiscated and are forced to participate in illegal activities such as voice phishing and online gambling.

Actually, a review of Naver Band and similar platforms shows that such overseas job recruitment posts are easily found. They promise high salaries including a base pay of 3 million KRW, incentives, bonuses, airfare and accommodation provision, as well as vacation and rewards for long-term workers, mainly targeting young people in their 20s and 30s for employment scams.

When victims realize the scam and try to leave the area, they have been subjected to assault, threats, and confinement, and in some cases, women were forced into prostitution.

A police official explained, "Victims were often forced to engage in illegal activities such as voice phishing, sports gambling, and call centers. Some recruitment posts claim to seek IT experts, but these individuals were made to develop gambling game programs."

The problem is that in areas like Tachileik in Myanmar and the Golden Triangle Economic Special Zone in Laos, it is difficult not only for Korean embassy consular visits but also for local police and security authorities to enter, making victim relief challenging.

Travel Alert Level Adjustment Map and Adjustment Details (Data provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

In the case of the northern Laos economic special zone in the Golden Triangle, a Chinese casino company leased land from the Laos government for 99 years in 2007 to build casinos and hotels. This area is governed entirely by a Chinese autonomous committee responsible for security and administration, making it difficult even for Laos public security to enter or investigate. Therefore, in these areas, not only Koreans but also many Northeast and Southeast Asian nationals have fallen victim to employment scams by criminal organizations.

The government issued travel bans on some regions of Myanmar (northern, eastern Shan State, and Kayah State) in November last year and on the Laos Golden Triangle Economic Special Zone in February this year. Starting from the 1st of next month, a special travel advisory will also be issued for two northern Thai border checkpoints.

The checkpoints under the special travel advisory are the Chiang Saen border checkpoint bordering Laos and the Mae Sai border checkpoint bordering Myanmar. Since most Korean victims of employment scams occurring in Laos and Myanmar have been confirmed to enter through Thailand, it is expected that blocking these checkpoints will reduce the number of victims.

An official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, "To fundamentally prevent employment scams, it is important to be cautious of Southeast Asian job advertisements and avoid visiting risky areas. Especially, visiting travel-restricted areas without government permission may result in punishment under the Passport Act, so caution is advised."