Seoul protests Cambodian scams, raises Phnom Penh travel alert

South Korea on Friday summoned the Cambodian ambassador to protest the death of a South Korean student in Cambodia and the growing number of online scam cases targeting Korean nationals.

It also raised its travel alert for Phnom Penh to the special advisory level, warning citizens to avoid all non-essential travel.

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun expressed “grave concern” to Cambodian Ambassador Khuon Phon Rattanak over the “continued occurrence of job scams and unlawful detention of South Korean citizens in Cambodia,” urging Phnom Penh to take “swift and concrete measures to dismantle online fraud networks” and to strengthen police cooperation to prevent further tragedies.

According to Seoul’s foreign ministry, Ambassador Khuon acknowledged the seriousness of the issue and pledged to report Korea’s concerns to his government. Cambodia’s embassy in Seoul did not respond to media inquiries.

South Korean media reported that a college student was tortured to death in Cambodia in August, allegedly linked to an online employment scam operation.

Human trafficking and scam centres under scrutiny

Investigations have revealed that many South Koreans were lured to Cambodia with false promises of high-paying jobs, only to be trafficked and forced to work in scam compounds.

Reports by Amnesty International described severe abuses within these operations, alleging that the Cambodian authorities have tolerated or even colluded with criminal networks profiting from these illicit activities.

Amid mounting public outrage, the South Korean government’s decision to raise the travel advisory for Phnom Penh underscores Seoul’s growing alarm over the deteriorating security situation and its commitment to protecting citizens from transnational online crime.