33 Koreans Arrested in Phnom Penh Last Month, 3 Indicted
Estimated 1,000 Koreans Involved in Criminal Organizations in Cambodia
While recent cases of abduction and detention targeting Koreans have continued in Cambodia, it has also been reported that crimes committed by Koreans against their fellow citizens are consistently occurring in the country.
According to local media in Phnom Penh, on September 15, city authorities and police raided a condominium in the Sensok district, arresting 33 Koreans (including 5 women) on charges of online scams and illegal stay. At the scene, one Nepalese, one Bangladeshi, and thirteen Cambodians were also apprehended.
The joint investigation team indicted three Koreans as the main culprits, while classifying the remaining 45 individuals as victims who had been coerced or threatened into participating in the crimes. The police deported all of them and confiscated 60 computers, 3 mobile phones, and 35 passports used in the crimes.
Koreans detained for involvement in online scams in Cambodia are boarding a bus on the 17th (local time) at the Immigration Office in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, to move to Techo International Airport for boarding a charter flight back to Korea. Photo by Yonhap News
A similar incident occurred in May. At that time, 15 Koreans in the Sihanoukville area were caught committing voice phishing scams, impersonating military units or public institutions in order to defraud small business owners in Korea.
According to local diplomatic sources, it is estimated that there are about 1,000 Korean members involved in criminal organizations in Cambodia. While many of them are victims who were lured or forced into crime under the pretense of “high-paying jobs,” it has been reported that some in managerial positions were deeply involved in the criminal profit structure, earning several million won per month. There have also been cases where individuals, after being repatriated to Korea, returned to Cambodia and participated in the same crimes again.
On the 15th, Wi Sunglak, Director of National Security at the Presidential Office, stated, “Some individuals are still at risk of being drawn into Cambodia’s scam industry. Since there have been cases of repeat offenses after returning to Korea, the government will strengthen crackdowns and preventive measures at the national level.”
Meanwhile, on the evening of the 17th, a charter flight departed from Incheon International Airport to repatriate 60 Koreans detained in a Cambodian prison. Police officers accompanied the flight, and the repatriated individuals are scheduled to arrive in Korea on the morning of the 18th, after which they will be transferred to their respective local police stations for investigation.
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