NIS: "Main Suspect in Cambodian Korean Student Murder Was Accomplice of Gangnam Private Education District Drug Ringleader"

National Intelligence Service Report to National Assembly Intelligence Committee on October 22
"Up to 2,000 Koreans Involved in Cambodian Crimes"
"Most of Those Repatriated Are Perpetrators, Not Victims"

The National Intelligence Service announced on October 22 that the main suspect in the case of Park, a Korean university student in his 20s who was tortured and killed in a Cambodian criminal compound, has been identified as an accomplice of the ringleader in the 2023 Gangnam Daechi-dong private education district drug case.

Park Sunwon of the Democratic Party of Korea and Lee Sungkwon of the People Power Party stated at a briefing that the National Intelligence Service reported the progress of the investigation and response to the case during the full meeting of the National Assembly Intelligence Committee held that day.

Lee Jongseok, Director of the National Intelligence Service, is attending the full meeting of the National Assembly Intelligence Committee held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul on the 22nd. 2025.10.22 Photo by the National Assembly Press Photographers Group

According to the report, the National Intelligence Service obtained the first information on the death of the Korean national on the third day after the incident occurred. The agency mobilized all its intelligence resources and identified the main suspect within eight days. The whereabouts of the main suspect are currently being tracked.

The National Intelligence Service explained that its intelligence confirmed the individual as an accomplice of Mr. Limo, who was arrested in Cambodia as the ringleader of the 2023 Gangnam private education district drug case. This case, which occurred in April 2023, involved Chinese nationals and domestic accomplices mixing methamphetamine with milk to create so-called "concentration enhancement drinks," which were then given to 13 minors as part of a scheme to extort money from them.

Additionally, the National Intelligence Service estimated that approximately 1,000 to 2,000 Koreans have participated in scam crimes (romance scams) occurring in Cambodia. According to the Cambodian National Police, 3,075 suspects were apprehended for scam crimes between June and July, of whom 57 were Korean nationals, as reported to the Intelligence Committee.

The National Intelligence Service also stated regarding those recently repatriated from Cambodia to Korea that, "It is more accurate to view most of them as criminals or suspects involved in crimes rather than as victims," adding, "Since many of them participated with financial motives, using burner phones and other means, it is structurally more appropriate to regard them as perpetrators rather than victims."

The National Intelligence Service reported to the National Assembly that President Lee Jaemyung had issued a special directive, instructing the agency to "devote the organization's full efforts until the root causes are eradicated and the issues are completely resolved, and to ensure that international crime, drugs, human trafficking, cybercrime, illegal cryptocurrency, and scam crimes are thoroughly addressed to alleviate public concern." The agency added that it is tackling these issues by deploying its third and fourth lines of capability and focus.