University Student from Yecheon, North Gyeongsang, Dies of Cardiac Arrest Due to Torture
Korean Abductions in Cambodia Surge Nearly 20-Fold in Two Years
Another incident involving the abduction and death of a Korean national has occurred in Cambodia. With kidnapping crimes targeting Koreans rapidly increasing in Cambodia, there are growing concerns about high-paying part-time jobs and travel opportunities promoted by criminal organizations, urging caution.
According to police and other authorities on October 11, a university student surnamed A (22), originally from Yecheon County in North Gyeongsang Province, was found dead in Cambodia on August 8. The Cambodian embassy and local police stated that the cause of death was "cardiac arrest due to torture and extreme pain." A had been held captive near a criminal compound in Bokor Mountain, Kampot Province, Cambodia. Due to the autopsy and local cremation procedures, A's body has not been returned to Korea for two months.
On July 17, A told family members, "I am going to attend an expo held in Cambodia during the summer vacation," and departed for Cambodia. However, a week later, A's family received a phone call stating, "A has caused trouble here and is being held captive. If you send 50 million won, we will release him." Although the call was made from a phone registered in A's name, the caller reportedly spoke with a Chinese-Korean accent. A's family reported the incident to the police and the Cambodian embassy, but all contact with the blackmailer was lost after four days.
Kidnapping crimes targeting Koreans in Cambodia are on the rise. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, there were 212 reports of abduction and confinement involving Koreans in Cambodia in the first half of this year. The number of such cases was 11 in 2022 and 21 in 2023, but it surged to 221 last year. This means that the number of Korean abduction cases in Cambodia has increased by about 20 times in two years.
Hundreds Living Together in Scam Compounds... Abducted While Seeking High-Paying Jobs
Abduction and confinement cases involving Koreans mainly occur at scam operations run by local criminal organizations in Cambodia. These criminal groups lure Koreans with advertisements promising high-income part-time jobs, then kidnap and detain them. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other authorities, on August 6, another Korean man surnamed B was found dead at the Bokor Mountain criminal compound. B's body was discovered inside a large-scale scam call center known as "Wench" within the compound. Wench is reportedly operated by a Chinese criminal syndicate, where hundreds of people live together and conduct voice phishing and investment scams.
The recruitment for high-paying jobs that lead to abduction and confinement in Cambodia is also happening in Korea. On July 7, Jeju Dongbu Police Station received a report that a man in his 20s, surnamed C, had been detained and threatened in Cambodia. In June, C had been told by an acquaintance that "there are high-paying short-term jobs in Cambodia" and subsequently traveled there. However, upon arrival, C was robbed of his phone and belongings by a local contact and was forced to provide his financial account information. During this process, C was also assaulted by the local individual. He was held captive for about a month before escaping with the help of a local Korean. The acquaintance who arranged the job had already fled.
While scam operations were mainly run by Chinese criminal organizations, they have recently taken on a transnational character. According to local media such as Khmer Times on September 30 (local time), Cambodian authorities indicted three Korean men in their 20s to 40s on charges of running a scam organization. They are accused of operating an online scam operation out of an apartment in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. There were a total of 45 victims who were coerced or threatened into participating in the scam: 30 Koreans, 13 Cambodians, one Nepali, and one Bangladeshi.
The human rights organization Amnesty International released a report in June exposing human trafficking, torture, and forced labor by criminal gangs in Cambodia. Amnesty International
Employment scams, abduction, and confinement by Cambodian criminal organizations have already drawn international condemnation. In June, the human rights organization Amnesty International released a report exposing human trafficking, torture, and forced labor by criminal gangs in Cambodia. According to the report, there are at least 53 criminal facilities in Cambodia conducting organized scams. Amnesty International criticized the Cambodian government for being aware of human rights abuses by these groups but failing to take appropriate action. Furthermore, there is evidence that local police have been colluding with criminal organizations, effectively turning a blind eye to abduction and confinement.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a Level 2 travel advisory (advising caution) for Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on September 17, and a Level 2.5 special travel warning for areas such as Sihanoukville, Bokor Mountain, and Bavet. The ministry stated, "This travel advisory covers areas such as Phnom Penh and Bavet, a border region between Cambodia and Vietnam, where most cases of employment scams and confinement involving Korean nationals have occurred. We urge citizens planning to visit areas under special travel warnings to cancel or postpone their trips, and those currently staying in these areas to move to safer locations."
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