[2025 Audit] Democratic and Innovation Parties Blame Yoon Administration for "Cambodia Incident"

Criticism Over Abolition of the Foreign Affairs Bureau
"Disruption of Investigative Personnel"

On October 17, the Democratic Party of Korea and the People's Party for National Innovation criticized the abolition of the Foreign Affairs Bureau during the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, claiming that such measures were the cause of the "Cambodia incident."

Jeong Chun-saeng, a member of the National Assembly representing the People's Party for National Innovation, is questioning at the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee. Photo by Yonhap News

Chung Chun-saeng, a member of the National Assembly representing the People's Party for National Innovation, urged the restoration of the Foreign Affairs Bureau during the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee audit on this day. He stated, "With no professional investigative personnel, how can we cooperate with Cambodia and conduct investigations?" The National Police Agency significantly reduced the number of personnel in the Foreign Affairs Bureau from 1,100 in 2023. Currently, only 49 members of the International Cooperation Division of the National Police Agency are handling international cooperation work and related tasks.

Wi Seong-gon, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, commented, "The abolition of the Foreign Affairs Bureau has severed the pipeline for professional investigators of international crimes and weakened the system for international crime cooperation." He added, "Ultimately, the function to protect Korean nationals abroad has regressed, which led to the recent Cambodia incident."

Yoon Gunyoung, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, is questioning at the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee. Photo by Yonhap News

The significant increase in Cambodia's Official Development Assistance (ODA) budget during the Yoon Suk-yeol administration also became a point of controversy. Kwon Chil-seung, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, criticized, "There has never been such an easy mark," and questioned, "How can we provide such massive support and aid, yet not receive investigative cooperation in return? South Korea is the number one donor to Cambodia. Have confidence and establish a cooperation system. If cooperation does not work, it is dereliction of duty."

Yoon Gunyoung, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, remarked, "While a stick is needed for ODA projects, a carrot is also necessary." He pointed out, "Instead of giving ODA to Cambodia, we should provide it to the police to strengthen the network, but there has only been one ODA project with the Cambodian police in the past five years."