"Go Yourself, Cambodia": Police Reactions Divided Over Increased Dispatch

Police to Increase Local Dispatch from 3 to 8 Officers
Establishment of Korean Desk Raises Controversy Over Strict Application Requirements

Amid growing criticism over the government's passive response to recent cases of kidnapping and confinement of Koreans in Cambodia, the police are currently working to establish a "Korean Desk" (a police officer dedicated to handling cases involving Koreans) in Sihanoukville, an area known for its concentration of criminal complexes. On October 16, Yonhap News Agency reported on the first comment posted under the "Recruitment Notice for Embassy Liaison Officer in Cambodia," which was uploaded to the police internal network on October 14, as well as on the internal reactions within the police force.

The first person to comment on this notice was Lee Jinhak, Chief of the Criminal Division at Wonju Police Station in Gangwon Province (age 57), who handled major cases such as the "Eogeumni Dad" investigation in 2017. In a phone interview with Yonhap News Agency on the 16th, Chief Lee said, "Although I am close to retirement, I was wondering if there was a way I could serve or dedicate myself to the public." He added, "If the goal is to help evacuate our citizens, I thought that in addition to someone who speaks English well, it would be necessary to have someone with extensive experience." Notably, when Chief Lee suggested, "At least one person should be selected who has experience investigating organized crime and who has substantial field experience," comments followed such as, "Given your long service in investigations and your expertise, you are the perfect candidate."

However, it was reported that he did not actually apply because he did not have a valid English test score. The application requirements are a TOEIC score of 790, a TOEFL score of 86, or a TEPS score of 385. Language proficiency is said to be necessary for information sharing and joint investigations with local police. Meanwhile, the police are also pushing to increase the number of dispatched officers and to establish a "Korean Desk" (a police officer dedicated to handling cases involving Koreans) in Cambodia.

According to the "Public Security Response Plan for Cambodia" submitted by the National Police Agency to Assemblyman Wi Seongon of the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee on the 16th, the police have devised a plan to increase the number of dispatched officers in Cambodia from the current three (one resident officer and two liaison officers) to eight. At least five additional officers are deemed necessary to respond to the surging cases of kidnapping and confinement. The plan is to first set up a "Korean Desk" in Sihanoukville, where such incidents are frequent, with two officers dedicated to handling kidnapping and confinement cases involving Koreans.

Mixed Reactions Within the Police to Increased Dispatch and Establishment of Korean Desk

Reactions within the police force are sharply divided. While some, like Chief Lee, are enthusiastic about applying, others are more skeptical. On "Blind," an anonymous message board mainly used by younger police officers, comments include, "It's a dead-end post. Setting up one or two desks won't change anything," and "Unless there are some extraordinary benefits, who would want to go there?" There is also considerable cynicism about the application requirements, such as English test scores, with comments like, "If you started as a police constable, don't even think about applying. Only those who graduated from the elite Korean National Police University, have a law license, and are fluent in English can go."

As cases of kidnapping and confinement of Koreans continue to occur in Cambodia, the government has taken action. On the 16th (local time), this is the scene of the Prince Complex, known as a crime-ridden area operated by the Prince Group near Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

One police official commented, "With the workload surging and no investigative authority in the country, I doubt there will be many applicants," adding, "I think it would be better to send police officers who were specially recruited for foreign affairs and are proficient in Khmer." The police will accept applications until the 19th, complete document screening by the 21st, and then conduct interviews. The two selected officers will be dispatched to the Cambodian embassy as early as the end of this month, bringing the total number of local police personnel to five.

The National Police Agency has reported that only three cases related to kidnapping and detention were requested for cooperation through Interpol (International Criminal Police Organization) to Cambodia from January to October this year. Office of Assemblyman Wi Seongon

Meanwhile, the National Police Agency reported that only three cases related to kidnapping and confinement were requested for cooperation with Cambodia through Interpol (International Criminal Police Organization) from January to October this year. This figure falls far short of the 330 reports of confinement received as of August this year. There were responses to two cases: one regarding whether a Korean who managed confinement operations was still residing in Cambodia, and another concerning a victim's local hospital records (finger amputation) and police report history. However, there has still been no response regarding the final IP address accessed by a confinement victim within Cambodia.