80 South Koreans missing in Cambodia scam centre incidents, says Korean minister

Seoul – Eighty South Koreans who were possible victims of fake jobs or scam centres are unaccounted for in Cambodia, South Korea’s Foreign Ministry told AFP on Oct 14.

A Foreign Ministry official said that between January and August 2025, 330 South Koreans were reported to have gone missing or been held against their will after entering Cambodia.

As at August, “the safety of about 80 people has yet to be verified”, a Foreign Ministry official told AFP.

The ministry added that it is cross-checking the figures with police data at home to avoid overlap.

While there were around 21 cases of kidnapping or confinement involving South Koreans in Cambodia in 2023, the figure jumped tenfold to 221 in 2024 and further surged to fifteenfold as at August, lawmaker Yoon Hu-duk said in a parliamentary hearing.

The recent death of a South Korean college student in Cambodia – reportedly kidnapped and tortured by a local crime ring – has shocked South Korea.

Many of the South Koreans are said to have been lured by fraudulent job offers promising high pay, according to the government.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said on Oct 14 that the recent kidnappings in Cambodia are causing “significant harm to South Koreans”.

“The numbers are not small, and many of our citizens are deeply concerned about their family members, friends and neighbours who have been detained in Cambodia,” said Mr Lee in a Cabinet meeting.

“The government should immediately implement all available measures to ensure the safety of our citizens,” he added.

The Presidential Office said that it will dispatch a joint response team to Cambodia on Oct 15, led by the second vice-foreign minister.

Presidential spokesperson Kim Nam-joon said the government is considering raising the travel advisory level for Cambodia. AFP