ED Koreans kidnapped in Cambodia
Cambodia, once a popular destination for culture-savvy and budget-conscious Korean travelers, has become an increasingly dangerous place following a sharp rise in the kidnappings of Koreans by Chinese crime rings operating in the Southeast Asian country.
The number of Koreans reported to have been kidnapped or missing in Cambodia has soared in recent years. In 2023, around 30 Koreans were reported as having been abducted while traveling there. The number jumped to 220 the following year, and surged again to 330 as of August this year. Most victims fell prey to employment scams promising high-paying jobs in the IT sector. Upon arrival, they were taken to compounds run by Chinese criminal syndicates and forced to work in online scams.
Survivors say victims were subjected to severe beatings and torture when they failed to meet performance targets. Some died under such abuse, including a Korean college student found dead near Bokor Mountain in August. His body has yet to be repatriated, fueling public outrage in Korea.
The Korean government has faced criticism for its sluggish response to the growing number of abductions in Cambodia. On Friday — weeks after media reports exposed the scale of the problem — Foreign Minister Cho Hyun summoned Cambodian Ambassador to Korea Khuon Phon Rattanak, urging Phnom Penh to crack down on the Chinese crime networks operating within its borders. It was an unusually strong diplomatic move, as similar actions had previously been handled at the director-general level. The foreign ministry said the summons underscored the seriousness with which Seoul views the situation.
The ministry also raised its travel advisory for Phnom Penh, urging Koreans to reconsider traveling to Cambodia and advising those already there to exercise heightened caution.
While issuing travel warnings and pressing the Cambodian government for effective action are steps in the right direction, such gestures alone are unlikely to stop the abductions.
Seoul should pursue more effective measures to protect its citizens, such as launching joint crackdowns with Cambodia and other affected nations to dismantle the Chinese crime syndicates behind these transnational kidnappings.
In a statement released on Friday, the foreign ministry revealed that some Koreans have colluded with Chinese criminal groups in Cambodia to run online scams. “After being rescued, they refused consular assistance and returned to Korea. Some time later, some of them went back to Cambodia to engage again in online scams,” the ministry said.
The ministry clarified that not all Koreans involved in the operations of Chinese-run scam networks are victims. Some voluntarily cooperate with the criminal groups to profit from the kidnapping and illegal exploitation of their fellow Koreans.
Such clarification may help the public better understand the complex nature of transnational crime. Yet the fact that a small number of Koreans are complicit cannot justify the government’s inaction. As long as there are victims, the Korean government has a duty to protect and rescue them — and to prevent similar crimes from recurring.
President Lee Jae Myung’s delayed response to the human trafficking crisis in Cambodia has raised questions about his administration’s commitment to protecting Korean nationals abroad.
When news broke last week that a Korean activist had been detained by Israeli forces intercepting a pro-Palestinian aid flotilla — consisting of 11 ships bound for the Gaza Strip, including the one she was aboard — Lee swiftly directed all Cabinet ministries to intensify diplomatic efforts to pressure Israel to secure her release. The activist was released days after Israel pledged to free the Korean national as soon as possible.
By contrast, Lee remained silent for days about the safety of kidnapped Koreans in Cambodia. Only on Saturday, amid mounting public anger over his perceived double standard between Koreans detained in Israel and those abducted in Cambodia, did he order a diplomatic campaign to secure the release of the kidnapped Koreans in the Southeast Asian country.
Harrowing accounts of torture and enslavement by Chinese crime gangs continue to circulate online, as survivors recount their experiences. The sharp rise in Korean victims demonstrates how job seekers are increasingly falling prey to transnational crime networks.
Given the gravity of the situation, the Korean government must urgently work with Cambodian authorities, and possibly with other affected nations, to dismantle the Chinese-led online scam operations. Without decisive international cooperation, the number of victims will only continue to grow, and these transnational crimes could spiral out of control.