Four Korean suspects linked to Cambodia call-centre gangs repatriated

South Korea brings home first four nationals caught in Cambodia scam crackdown as Seoul bans travel to Kampot, Poipet and Bavet over rising human-trafficking cases.

South Korean police confirmed on Wednesday (October 15) that the first four of 63 nationals arrested during a major crackdown on online scam syndicates in Cambodia have been repatriated.

According to the statement, the suspects were among those detained at Cambodia’s Immigration Department following raids on criminal networks behind a series of abduction and torture cases targeting South Koreans, including one fatal incident.

The initial group was flown home on Tuesday (October 14) aboard two national carrier flights, police said. Among them was a high-profile suspect listed on Interpol’s Red Notice, previously wanted under a Korean arrest warrant.

However, legal limits allow only two suspects per commercial flight, each escorted by two police officers. Authorities are therefore considering chartering a dedicated plane to repatriate the remaining detainees within a month.

Seoul issues top-level travel ban to parts of Cambodia

Amid growing concern over human-trafficking and job-scam cases, South Korea’s Foreign Ministry on Wednesday imposed a Level-4 travel ban, the highest in its alert system, on Cambodia’s Bokor mountain area in Kampot province, and the border towns of Bavet and Poipet.

The ministry also urged Koreans in Sihanoukville to leave, warning that the coastal city has become a known hub for criminal syndicates.

Seoul has simultaneously launched a campaign to assist citizens who fell victim to cross-border scams and forced-labour operations in Cambodia.

A special joint task force, led by Second Vice Foreign Minister Kim Jin-ah, was scheduled to arrive in Phnom Penh on Wednesday evening. The delegation includes officials from the National Police Agency, the Justice Ministry, and the National Intelligence Service (NIS).

The team is mandated to hold high-level talks with Cambodian authorities to strengthen cooperation on investigations and discuss the formation of a bilateral joint investigation team, particularly concerning the case of the South Korean student tortured to death in August, a tragedy that has sparked national outrage.

Beyond case coordination, the task force will also handle the repatriation of Korean nationals detained in Cambodia. Officials said the government will prioritise extraditing those already under arrest warrants, though some detainees have reportedly refused to return.

Missing Koreans and the shifting crime map

Data from the Foreign Ministry show that as of August, around 80 South Koreans remain unaccounted for in Cambodia. Some are believed to have been kidnapped or detained by criminal groups, while others may have cut contact to avoid legal complications.

Reported cases have surged dramatically, from 17 in 2023 to 220 in 2024, reflecting the explosive growth of transnational scam operations in the region.

Officials note that many syndicates have relocated from the Golden Triangle area, where Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand meet, to Cambodia, after several countries declared the region a restricted zone early last year. Cambodia has since become a new base for illegal call-centre and labour-exploitation schemes, many of which target South Korean victims.

Seoul seeks stronger diplomatic presence

With public pressure mounting and families of missing Koreans demanding action, the South Korean government is reportedly considering appointing Park Il, former ambassador to Lebanon, as its new envoy to Cambodia, a post that has remained vacant.

Officials hope the appointment will help unify efforts to manage the escalating crisis and deepen coordination with Cambodian counterparts.