South Korea Cambodia scam killing: South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has ordered “all-out” diplomatic efforts to protect South Korean citizens in Cambodia after a university student was allegedly lured by a scam ring, tortured, and killed.
Speaking at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Lee said that “protecting the lives and safety of citizens is the government’s greatest responsibility” and called for all scam victims to be “swiftly repatriated.”
Kidnappings of South Koreans in Cambodia have surged sharply in recent months, prompting National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac to create an emergency task force focused on bringing affected citizens home.
According to multiple reports, including from Yonhap News, victims are often deceived by false job offers, then confined in compounds and forced to work in online scam operations, such as voice phishing. Those who resist face beatings with metal pipes and electric shocks, according to survivors who later shared their experiences with lawmaker Park Chan-dae.
The victim, identified by Cambodian authorities as 22-year-old Park Min-ho, has remained in Cambodia more than two months after his death. His family has described the delay in returning his body as “killing him twice.” South Korea has requested a joint autopsy with Cambodian officials.
South Korea Cambodia scam killing
South Korea Cambodia scam killing, Cambodian prosecutors have charged three Chinese nationals with murder and online fraud in connection with Park’s death, while two additional suspects remain at large.
Park’s family said he disappeared in mid-July after telling them he was attending an exhibition during his summer break. A week later, they received a ransom demand of 50 million won (US$36,000), with the caller claiming Park had “caused trouble.” Two weeks later, his body was found near Bokor Mountain in Kampot province, an area notorious for crime compounds and human trafficking.
Cambodia’s interior ministry said Park died from “severe torture,” showing extensive bruising across his body. A rescued witness told Rep. Park Chan-dae’s office that Park had been beaten so badly he could not walk or breathe and died while being transported to a hospital.
Amid escalating tensions between Seoul and Phnom Penh, South Korea plans to send police officers to establish a “Korean desk” in Cambodia to coordinate investigations directly with local authorities. Both governments are expected to meet next week.
The Cambodian interior ministry has denied claims that officials ignored reports of Park’s abduction, saying they had received no formal complaint before discovering his body. The ministry added it is cooperating closely with South Korean investigators.
Senior Democratic Party lawmaker Lee Un-ju warned that if Cambodia fails to respond adequately, “strong action should be considered” to safeguard South Korean nationals.
The case has highlighted the rapid rise in kidnappings of South Koreans in Cambodia from 17 cases in 2023 to 220 last year, with 330 cases already reported by August 2025, according to South Korea’s foreign ministry.
South Korea Cambodia scam killing, Seoul has issued special travel advisories for Phnom Penh, Sihanoukville, and Bokor Mountain, urging citizens to cancel or postpone non-essential trips.
A recent Amnesty International report identified 53 large-scale scam compounds operating across Cambodia and accused the government of enabling the criminal networks through inaction.
