Prime Minister Hun Manet Meets Joint Government Response Team, Expresses Regret
South Korea Requests Cooperation on Repatriation of Remains and Detainees
On October 16, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet expressed his deep regret and sorrow over the death of a South Korean national in Cambodia. He also pledged to make greater efforts to apprehend the suspects currently at large and to protect South Koreans residing in Cambodia in the future.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Prime Minister Hun made these remarks during a meeting with Kim Jina, the Second Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Park Sungju, Commissioner General of the National Office of Investigation, who are leading the joint government response team currently visiting Cambodia.
During the meeting, Vice Minister Kim expressed the South Korean government’s strong concern over the continued incidents of employment scams and confinement targeting South Koreans. She urged the Cambodian side to take more proactive measures and cooperate more closely to protect South Korean nationals from such crimes and to eradicate online scam crimes in Cambodia.
Kim Jina, the Second Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, is meeting with Hun Manet, the Prime Minister of Cambodia, on the 16th in Cambodia. Photo by Yonhap News Agency and Ministry of Foreign Affairs
She also requested active cooperation from the Cambodian authorities for the swift repatriation of South Korean nationals currently detained in Cambodia for criminal involvement. Vice Minister Kim further called for continued cooperation so that the criminal justice cooperation requested by the South Korean Ministry of Justice-including providing autopsy and investigation records for the South Korean national found dead in the Bokor Mountain area of Kampot Province in early August, as well as procedures for cremation and the repatriation of remains-can be completed as quickly as possible.
Prime Minister Hun stated, “We are actively strengthening crackdowns through the Online Scam Countermeasures Committee (CCOS),” and added, “We hope to further strengthen these efforts through cooperation between our two countries going forward.”
Prime Minister Hun also expressed concern that the recent upgrade of South Korea’s travel advisory for Cambodia could negatively impact investment and tourism in Cambodia, and requested that the advisory be lowered as soon as possible. He also voiced concerns about negative media coverage of Cambodia in South Korea.
Vice Minister Kim responded, “The decision to raise the travel advisory was unavoidable given the current situation, but we will consider lowering it once the situation improves.” She added, “In order to improve negative perceptions in South Korea, both countries must work together even more closely to address the situation.”
On the 16th (local time), barbed wire was laid on the outer wall of the 'Mango Complex,' a crime zone known near Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Photo by Yonhap News Agency
Vice Minister Kim also noted that development cooperation projects aimed at strengthening Cambodia’s public security capabilities could be explored. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that in a prior meeting with Chhay Sinarith, Secretary-General of the Online Scam Countermeasures Committee, Vice Minister Kim had an in-depth discussion on ways to strengthen future cooperation, focusing on South Korea’s requests.
Both sides agreed on the strong need to enhance bilateral cooperation to protect South Korean nationals in Cambodia, and decided to closely consult on concrete measures such as launching the “Korea-Cambodia Joint Task Force on Scam Crimes.”
Meanwhile, the joint government response team visited the Taija Complex, one of the scam zones in Takeo Province, together with Cambodian authorities on the afternoon of October 16. They inspected the site and received briefings from the Cambodian side on the operation and crackdown status of major scam complexes.
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