Kim Namjoon, Presidential Office Spokesperson, Briefs on October 14
National Police Agency and National Intelligence Service Join Response Team
Head of National Investigation Headquarters to Depart with Team Tomorrow
Kim Namjun, the spokesperson, is giving a briefing on current issues at the Yongsan Presidential Office on the 14th. Photo by Yonhap News
In response to the recent surge in serious crimes targeting South Koreans in Cambodia, including abduction and confinement, the government will dispatch a "Joint Government Response Team" to Cambodia on October 15, led by the Second Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs. The government is also considering raising the travel advisory level for major crime-prone areas in Cambodia.
Kim Namjoon, spokesperson for the Presidential Office, stated during a briefing at the Yongsan Presidential Office on October 14, "During a closed-door meeting presided over by the President, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Justice, and National Police Agency reported on their current response to and plans for addressing employment scams in Cambodia. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will dispatch a joint government response team tomorrow, led by the Second Vice Minister, with participation from the National Police Agency and the National Intelligence Service."
The government also plans to review raising the travel advisory for areas where crimes are occurring. Previously, the advisory for Phnom Penh, Cambodia, which was already designated as a region to avoid non-essential travel, was raised by one level to a special travel advisory.
Kim Namjoon emphasized, "While making every possible diplomatic effort to secure Cambodia's cooperation, we will also strengthen the embassy's response capabilities by increasing staff, including additional police attach?s at the Cambodian embassy. Domestically, we plan to enhance monitoring of overseas employment advertisements, enforce stricter punishment for participants, and intensify public awareness campaigns."
He added, "We will also conduct a special reporting period for the public in October to analyze the scale of domestic crime victims more quickly and accurately, as well as to prevent further damage and ensure that no cases are overlooked."
Regarding the recent case of a university student in his twenties who died as a result of torture in Cambodia, the government received reports on the status of the investigation and response plans. The Ministry of Justice intends to utilize transnational crime consultative bodies with Southeast Asia and ASEAN to clamp down on local criminal complexes. In addition, to strengthen international cooperation, the head of the National Investigation Headquarters will depart with the joint response team being dispatched on October 15. The police will also discuss with Cambodian authorities the repatriation of South Korean nationals and the dispatch of additional police officers.
During a Cabinet meeting on the same day, the President instructed, "Relevant ministries should expedite the establishment of a permanent cooperation system between the law enforcement authorities of both countries through consultations with the Cambodian government," and also ordered a prompt verification of missing persons reports.
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